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AUGUST,  1940 

VOLUME  43  NUMBER  8 
RETURN  POSTAGE  GUARANTEED 
SALT  LAKE    CITY,  UTAH 


A  PLUMP,  juicy  LEG  o'  lamb  sizzling  fresh  out  of  the  oven 
.  .  .  can't  you  almost  taste  it?  With  mint  sauce  or  jelly  .  .  . 
and  lots  of  rich  gravy! 

Or  a  tempting  boned  breast  of  lamb!  M-m  .  .  .  m-m. 

Or  lamb  shanks  braised  to  a  shiny  brown.  Like  so  many  other 
lamb  dishes — including  lamb  loaf,  lamb  pies,  escalloped  lamb 
and  lamb  patties — browned  lamb  shanks  are  made  from  a  very 
economical  cut. 

So  treat  the  family  to  a  lamb  feast  this  week !  You'll  find  the 
juiciest,  most  tender  lamb  cuts  awaiting  you  at 
your  nearest  Safeway.  Typical  Safeway  values! 

Why  Safeway  is  advertising  lamb  to  farmers  — 

Safeway  is  interested  in  promoting  the  sale  of 
farm  products  and  making  farming  profitable — 
because  more  than  a  third  of  our  trade  comes  from 
farm  families! 

The  fact  that  one-third  of  the  consumers  who 
buy  in  our  stores  are  fellow  farmers  should  open 
the  eyes  of  many  a  farm  family.  For  naturally, 
the  more  that  farmers  consume  of  each  other's 
crops  the  more  they'll  all  benefit. 

Safeway  urges  you  to  enjoy  more  lamb  now 
while  this  fine  delicious  meat  is  so  plentiful. 


XEAl  fAPEWAY 

wives 


;:p*p 


') 


StotMeal  Scum.  $au& : 

Almost  two-thirds  of  the  nation's  lamb 

(64'/2%)  is  shipped  from  or  slaughtered 

in  the  17  states  where  Safeway  Stores 

are  located.  Last  year  the  value  of  the 

lamb    crop    in    these 

states  was  $98,970,- 

000.   And   it  may  be 

interesting   to   note 

that  for  every  family 

living  in  the  Safeway 

states  there  are  five 

lambs  and  sheep— as 

against  six-tenths   of 

a  head  per  family  in 

the  rest  of  the  U.  S. 


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THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 

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Utah  State  AgricHlliral  College 

Offers  courses  in  the  following  schools 

AGRICULTURE  HDME  ECONOMICS 

FORESTRY  EDUCATION 

ARTS  and  SCIENCES  ENGINEERING  and 

COMMERCE  INDUSTRIES  and  TRADES 

New  Students  Register  September  27 

Former  Students  Register  September  28 

Instruction  Begins  September  30 

UTAH  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

LOGAN,  UTAH 

Write   to  the   President's   Office  for  a   Catalogue  or  Additional   Information 


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449 


TMmproDemcnt  Era 


'The  Glory  of  God  is  Intelligence" 


AUGUST,    1940 


VOLUME     43 


NUMBER     8 


"THE  VOICE    OF    THE    CHURCH" 

OFFICIAL  ORGAN  OF  THE  PRIESTHOOD  QUORUMS, 
MUTUAL  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATIONS,  DEPART- 
MENT OF  EDUCATION,  MUSIC  COMMITTEE,  WARD 
TEACHERS,  AND  OTHER  AGENCIES  OF  THE  CHURCH 
OF     JESUS     CHRIST     OF     LATTER-DAY     SAINTS. 


JhsL  £diltfi&  (paqsL 

An  Unquestioned  Sincerity. 


Heber  J. 

Grant, 

John  A. 

Widtsoe, 

Editors 

Richard  L.  Evans, 

Managing 

Editor 

Marba  C 

.  Josephson, 

Associate  Editor 

George  Q. 

Morris,   General  Mgr. 

Lucy   G.  Cannon,  Associate  Mgr. 

}.   K.   Orton 

,  Business  Mgr. 

Heber  J.  Grant  457 


(fhwidv  3>&aijuMA, 


The  Pride  of  Pioneers James  M.  Kirkham  458 

The  Inspired  Revision  of  the  Bible — VI 

Sidney  B.  Sperry  and  Merrill  Y.  Van  Wagoner  472 

Announcement  of  Policy  Concerning  the  Sunday  Schools  and 

Genealogy  480 

Evidences  and  Reconciliations — XXVIII.    Should  We  Go  to 

The  Movies  on  Sundays? John  A,  Widtsoe  481 

The  Women  Find  a  Way  in  El-  Anti-Liquor-Tobacco    — . 

sinore,  W.  Aird  MacDonald..452  -460,  474,   489,  494 

The  Church  Moves  On 478      Genealojical  Page  ..  -495 


Priesthood:   Melchizedek  489 

Aaronic  492 

Ward   Teaching   494 


Music  Page  496 

Mutual  Messages:  Executives.... 497 

Bee-Hive  Girls  497 

Field    Photos . 497 


SpsudaL  J'&jcdwiQA. 


Edgar  A.  Guest  Says  "It's  Up  to  You" G.  Max  Larsen  459 

I  Quit  Smoking Courtney  Ryley  Cooper  460 

Mexican  and  Mayan  Codices C.  E.  Dibble  464 

The  Common  Source  of  Religious  Truth — VII.    We  Shall  Be 

Judged Milton  R.  Hunter  466 

Fifteen  Miles  from  the  Mexican  Desert  to  Greenland 

Granville  Oleson  468 


The  Upside-Down  Lake,  Eliza- 
beth Church  Grant  ....452 

Exploring  the  Universe,  Frank- 
lin S.  Harris,  Jr 453 

Telefacts 454 

Remembering       Benjamin       R. 
Birchall,  William  Mulder 470 

The   Safety    Challenge,    D.    A. 
Skeen    470 


A  National  Disease,  W.  Blake 

Christensen    474 

Brigham  Thomas  Higgs   474 

On  the  Book  Rack 476 

Homing:     Let's  Can  Fruits  and 

Tomatoes  the  Oven  Way 485 

Here's  How  485 

Bread,  Ruth  V.  Young 486 

Index  to  Advertisers  504 

Your  Page  and  Ours  512 


£dtt&rialiu 


Glamour  Richard  L.  Evans  480 


JidtwfL,  (pDsrfJu^,  Cjwa&id&vcL  (puzzIsL 


Turning  Tide  .— Edith  Lovell  462 

The  Better  the  Day Gilbert  H.  Andrews  471 

A  Sprig  of  Sage Alice  Morrey  Bailey  475 


Frontispiece:  The  Attic  Spin- 
ning Wheel,  Edna  S.  Dustin..456 

Chip  Off  the  Block,  Howard  M. 
Cullimore    461 

A  Transitory  Wish.  Alice  W. 


Norton 476 

Poetry   Page 477 

Symphony,  Mabel  Jones 486 

Scriptural   Crossword   Puzzle....510 
Pioneers,  Elizabeth  A.  Cook 511 


JhsL  Qov&A. 


THE  outlook  of  youth  is  suggested  by  this  climb  for  high  places  and  this  view  of  far 
horizons.    Charles  Kerlee  was  the  photographer  . 


(Do  clJDiL  J(rww- 

How  the  women  in  Elsinore  handled 
a  man's  job? 452 

Under  what  light  conditions  plants 
grow    best?    453 

What  contribution  one  pioneer  fam- 
ily made  to  community  beauty?  458 

What  Edgar  A.  Guest  told  two 
Mormon  Elders  concerning  the 
"secret  of   success"? 459 

How  one  man  quit  smoking? 460 

To  what  extent  ancient  Mexican  and 
Mayan  writings  can  be  inter- 
preted?   464 

How  widespread  has  been  the  be- 
lief in  a  final  judgment? 466 

That  it  is  only  fifteen  miles  from 
the  Mexican  desert  to  Greenland 
— botanically  speaking?  468 

Wherein  lies  an  inescapable  chal- 
lenge to   safety?    470 

How  one  young  man  felt  about  the 
Sunday  problem? 471 

Whether  Joseph  Smith  completely 
revised  the  Bible  or  not? 472 

What  menace  has  reached  the  pro- 
portions of  a  national  disease?   474 

A  good  book  of  story  and  verse  for 
children?    476 

To  what  missions  new  presidents 
have  been   appointed? 478 

What  new  policy  is  affecting  the 
genealogical  and  Sunday  School 
programs?    480 

What  things  we  rebel  at  individually 
but  collectively  permit  to  con- 
tinue?   480 

Whether  we  should  go  to  the  movies 
on  Sundays?   481 

Who  returned  from  the  various  mis- 
sion fields  during  June? 484 

How  to  can  fruits  and  tomatoes  the 
oven  way?    485 

How  a  needy  family  got  a  start  on 
fifty-three  cents?    490 

Where  new  monuments  have  been 
recently  erected?  493 

How  genealogical  work  is  gaining 
popularity  in  the  Eastern  States 
Mission?  ■ 495 

Why  the  small  ward  can  have  a 
superior  choir?  496 


EXECUTIVE    AND    EDITORIAL 
OFFICES: 

50   North  Main  Street,    Salt  Lake  City,    Utah. 

Copyright  1940,  by  Mutual  Funds,  Inc..  a  Cor- 
poration of  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improve- 
ment Association  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  All  rights  reserved.  Sub- 
scription price,  $2.00  a  year,  in  advance;  20c 
single   copy. 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  as  second-class  matter.  Acceptance  for 
mailing  at  special  rate  of  postage  provided 
for  in  section  1103,  Act  of  October,  1917, 
authorized  July  2,   1918. 

The  Improvement  Era  is  not  responsible 
for  unsolicited  manuscripts,  but  welcomes  con- 
tributions. All  manuscripts  must  be  accompanied 
by   sufficient    postage    for    delivery   and    return. 

NATIONAL  ADVERTISING 
REPRESENTATIVES 
Francis  M.  Mayo,  Salt  Lake  City 
Edward  S.  Townsend,  San  Francisco 

MEMBER  OF  THE  AUDIT  BUREAU  OF 
CIRCULATIONS 


A  MAGAZINE  FOR  EVERY 
MEMBER   OF   THE   FAMILY 


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SUCCESSFUL  AMERICANS 

IAjs  dramatic  era  in  the  world's  history  will  be  calling  as 
never  before  for  the  wisdom  of  educated  minds  and  the  skill 
of  trained  hands.  And  your  University .  .  .  as  never  before  .  .  . 
is  equipped  to  give  you  the  kind  of  training  that  will  make  you 
equal  to  the  new  demands  of  citizenship  and  vocational 
success.  Enjoy  the  advantages  of  several  years  in  this  stimu- 
lating community  of  youth,  directed  by  a  scholarly  faculty. 

DATES   FOR  REGISTRATION 

Sept.  25:    ...    .      English  and  Psychological  Examinations 

Sept.  26: Engineering  Examination 

Sept.  26-27:    Special  Instruction  and  Registration  of  Freshmen 
Sept.  30:    .    .   Registration  of  Sophomores  and  Upper  Division 

Regular  Class  Work  Begins 


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„*#** 


,.,.rV^  uS*^*  ******     JS 


PA 


THE  SCHOOLS: 

Lower  Division; 
Arts  and  Sciences; 
Education;  Business; 
Mines  and  Engineering;  | 
Me  die  in  e;   L  a  w; 
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Work;  Extension  Division 

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UNIVERSITY    of    UTAH 


AN  INSTITUTION  OF  HIGH  RANK 


Write  for  Catalog  -  -  Address  the  President 
SALT  LAKE  CITY 

ON  A  BEAUTIFUL  CAMPUS  .  .  .  IN  A  METROPOLITAN  CITY 


451 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


v&^/PLAYTIME  AT 
$&&&<        WORLD-FAMOUS 


BE    INDEPENDENT 

No  Other  Vocation  so  Profitable 

ENROLL    NOW 

For  a  Complete  Course  at  the 

Quish  School  of  Beauty  Culture 

The  Best  in  the  West 

336-340  S.  Main,  American  Blag., 
SALT  LAKE  CITY,  UTAH 

For  Further  Information 

or  Catalog  Call 

Wasatch  7560  or 

Fill  in  This 

Coupon 


452 


ELSINORE  CHAPEL  NEARING  COMPLETION,  WITH  THE  "SHINGLE  SISTERS"   AND  A  FEW  OF 

THEIR    MEN    HELPERS 
Left  to  fight:     Donald  Staton,  Fred  Bradshaw,  Clorece  Staton,  Verl  Jensen,  Elder  James  C.  Cahoon,  Barbara 
Cahoon,  Lavon  Mayer,  Effie  Cox,  Amelia  Bradshaw,  John  Richards,  Ellen  Mellon,  and  Emma  Hales. 
Insert:     Mrs.  Emma  Hales  tacking  on  wire  on  Elsinore  Chapel. 


THE  WOMEN  FIND  A  WAY 
IN  ELSINORE 

By  PRESIDENT  W.  AIRD 
MACDONALD 

Of  the  California  Mission 

High  up  in  the  coast  range  lies  beau- 
tiful Lake  Elsinore,  where  a 
dozen  Mormon  families  within  a 
radius  of  twenty  miles  form  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Elsinore  Branch  of  the 
California  Mission. 

This  little  group  wanted  a  meeting- 
house of  their  own.  They  talked  about 
it,  discussed  it,  agitated  the  issue.  A 
friendly  citizen  of  the  little  town  of- 
fered them  a  lot  if  they  would  build  a 
church  on  it  within  a  year.  The  Pre- 
siding Bishopric  offered  to  furnish  the 
material  if  they  would  do  the  work. 

"If  the  Priesthood  can't  build  it,  the 
women  will,"  challenged  Mrs.  Ellen  S. 
Mellon.  "We  certainly  will,"  declared 
Mrs.  Emma  Hales,  echoed  by  several 
others. 

A  missionary,  Elder  James  C.  Cahoon 
from  Cardston,  Canada,  was  assigned 
by  the  mission  president  to  supervise 


the  building.  With  the  first  break  of 
spring,  early  in  March,  things  began  to 
happen.  It  was  a  cooperative  project 
— all  hands  to  the  task.  Spring  plow- 
ing took  the  men,  and  Elder  Cahoon, 
with  the  building  "to  the  square,"  found 
himself  without  helpers.  He  called  for 
volunteers.  Rafters  had  to  be  strung, 
sheeting  laid,  and  shingles  put  on. 

"Come  on,"  said  Ellen  Mellon,  to 
the  women,  and  she  formed  an  emer- 
gency brigade  which  Elder  John  A. 
Widtsoe,  when  he  visited  them  on  a 
tour  of  the  mission,  jocularly  called  the 
"Shingle  Sisters."  They  put  up  rafters, 
laid  on  sheeting,  put  on  the  shingles, 
laid  the  flooring,  and  even  assisted  Elder 
Cahoon  with  the  plastering.  With  all 
the  energy  and  purpose  of  a  hive  of 
bees  they  worked,  until  many  of  the 
townspeople  came  to  admire,  and  to 
help.  Painters  offered  their  services 
freely. 

So  the  little  chapel  overlooking  beau- 
tiful Lake  Elsinore  nears  completion, 
soon  ready  for  dedication — a  monu- 
ment to  the  will  and  purpose  of  the 
women  who  donned  overalls  and  fin- 
ished the  job. 


THE  UPSIDE-DOWN  LAKE— LAKE  JASPER,  COLORADO 


>By  ELIZABETH  CHURCH  GRANT 

Can  you  tell  which  is  the  lake 
and  which  the  reflection  in  the 
above  picture?  Jasper  Lake, 
as  The  Upside-Down  Lake  is  offi- 
cially known,  is  but  one  of  the  many 
beautiful  lakes  at  an  altitude  of  ten 
thousand  feet  or  more  in  the  Colo- 
rado Rockies.  It  is  fed  by  the 
Arapahoe  glacier  which  lies  in  one 
of  the  deepest  canyons  of  the  peak 


reflected  in  its  limpid  waters.  This^ 
peak  is  one  of  the  Twin  Arapahoes. 
At  the  north  and  west,  tall  Engel- 
mann's  spruce  tower  like  giant  senti- 
nels above  the  lake.  Around  the 
east  and  west  shores  are  lush  mead- 
ows filled  with  larkspurs  rivaling 
the  blue  of  the  mountain  sky;  white 
monkshood,  waist  high;  and  starry 
blue  and  white  columbine,  Colo- 
rado's state  flower. 


By   FRANKLIN  S.  HARRIS,  JR. 

f~\&  a  safety  razor  blade,  each  part  of 
^  the  cutting  edge  equal  in  length  to 
a  hair's  diameter  has  to  cut  one  hundred 
hairs  in  one  ordinary  shave  of  a  man's 
face  in  going  over  the  beard  just  once. 


A  new  powder  is  being  manufactured 
"**  designed  to  keep  cats  off  chairs, 
beds,  curtains,  and  other  places  where 
a  cat  might  use  its  claws  or  shed  hair. 
Though  the  cat  can  smell  it,  the  powder 
is  harmless,  invisible,  and  odorless  to 
human  beings. 

> 

A  new  washer  made  with  ball-bear- 
*~*  ings  may  do  much  to  prevent  leaky 
faucets  and  washer  wear.  The  lower 
part  of  the  washer  turns  freely  on  the 
bolt  and  holds  a  soft  neoprene  washer 
in  position.  As  the  faucet  is  closed  the 
upper  part  of  the  washer  turns  and  puts 
pressure  through  the  ball  bearings  on 
the  lower  part,  which  presses  against 
the  valve  seat  without  turning.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  advantages  of  no  dripping 
and  no  wear,  since  the  washer  does  not 
twist  against  the  metal  valve  seat,  neo- 
prene washers  can  stand  very  hot  water 
for  an  indefinite  period  of  time. 

4 ■ 

nT'HE  natural  division  of  light  and 
■*■  dark  into  about  twelve-hour  con- 
tinuous periods  is  best  for  plant  growth. 
In  a  series  of  experiments  using  arti- 
ficial light,  plants  were  exposed  to  a 
total  of  twelve  hours  light  a  day.  The 
period  varied  from  five  seconds  light 
and  five  seconds  darkness  to  twelve 
hours  of  light  then  twelve  hours  of  dark- 
ness. The  periods  corresponding  to 
natural  day  and  night  gave  by  far  the 
largest  and  best  plants. 

■♦ 

HP  here  are  about  a  billion  wood  rail- 
road  ties  in  service  in  the  United 
States.  Due  to  chemical  treatment  be- 
fore laying  on  the  roadbed,  only  about 
one-third  as  many  ties  are  needed  now 
for  replacements  as  the  one  hundred 
and  fifty  million  a  year  needed  thirty 
years  ago.  The  average  annual  renewal 
is  about  one  hundred  ties  a  mile  a  year, 
though  some  railroads  get  along  with 
a  little  over  half  this  number. 


Ctainless  steels  are  so  called  because 
fc-'  they  do  not  rust  or  tarnish  at  or- 
dinary temperatures  in  atmospheric 
conditions  which  would  promptly  tar- 
nish or  rust  ordinary  iron  and  steels. 
Actually,  any  piece  of  iron  or  steel  when 
it  is  first  exposed  to  the  air  is  imme- 
diately covered  with  a  very  thin  film 
of  oxide,  called  the  passive  film,  so 
thin  as  to  be  invisible.  The  difference 
between  stainless  and  ordinary  iron  is 
that  with  stainless  steel  the  film  prevents 
(Continued  on  page  454) 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,     1940 


m Ml  R  I  C  A'S    F 1  N 1  ST   O V  E  R  A  L  t 


LEVI'S 


SINCE  1850 


there's  a  reason- 
No  others  FIT  like  LEVI'S! 


LEVI  STRAUSS, 


ANEW  FAIR  FREE 
IF  THEY ".4.1  R 


NON- 


SCRATCH  CONCEALED  COPPER  RIVETS  ON  BACK  POCKETS 


i 


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SAHHPEPPER  SETS 


I 


^u/QOi 


/       for  only 


ccAet 


...and  6  LABELS 

from  Chicken  of  the 

Sea  Brand  Grated 

Style  Tuna  or 

White  Star  Tuna. 

Mighty  clever!  And  a  75c  value,  say  buy-  Get  a  supply  of  this  quality  tuna  today 
ers  of  many  of  America's  leading  depart-  ...serve  it  often.  Your  family  will  like  it 
ment  stores.  One  little  fish  is  canary  yel-  and  it's  good  for  them.  Contains  Vita- 
low.. .for  salt.  The  other  one  is  turquoise  mins  "A"  and  "D"  and  Iodine,  effective 
blue.. .for  pepper.  So  you  won't  get  pep-  preventive  of  nutritional  goiter.  It  has 
per  when  you  want  salt,  and  vice  versa!  been  America's  favorite  for  28  years, 
— ~, — v^,v,.~v — ... —  because  only  the  tender,  Ikht  meat  is 


Van  Camp  Sea  Food  Company,  Inc., 
Box  C,  Terminal  Island,  California. 

Enclosed  find Cash Money  Order 


90 


(Postage  Stamps  not  accepted) 

-Check  for  $ .   Also labels 

from  Chicken  of  the  Sea  Brand  or  White  Star  Tuna.  Send  me SALT  & 

PEPPER  SETS  (Salt  Shaker  is  Canary  Yellow;  Pepper  Shaker  is  Turquoise  Blue). 


Name,. 


Addr 
City_ 


.State. 


453 


THE    IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,     1940 


President  Liners — 
America's  greatest 
fleet — sail  regularly 
to  the 

ORIENT 

and  Round 
the  World 


TO  JAPAN,  CHINA,  PHILIPPINES 

Sail  from  San  Francisco,  via  Hawaii, 
along  the  Sunshine  Route  to  Yokohama, 
Kobe,  Shanghai,  Hongkong  and  Ma- 
nila on  one  of  the  Pacific's  most  famous, 
friendly  ships — a  President  Liner  with 
broad  playdecks,  an  outdoor  swimming 
pool,  every  stateroom  outside,  high 
amidship,  and  grand  varied  food.  Round- 
trips,  First  Class:  Japan  $560,  China 
|691,  Philippines  $735.  Stop  over  any- 
where, going  or  coming.  Then  continue 
on  the  next  or  another  of  these  big 
smooth  sailing  liners  with  almost  iden- 
tical accommodations. 

MANILA  DIRECT  SAILINGS 

Manila  is  only  18  days  away  on  these 
fastest  crossings  to  the  Philippines  now 
offered  by  President  Lines'  chartered 
"City  Ships."  From  San  Francisco  to 
Manila,  18  days  ($717) — First  Class, 
roundtrip.  Hongkong,  22  days  ($704). 
Singapore  27  days  ($821).  Penang  29 
days  ($850).  No  other  service  to  Ma- 
nila and  Malaya  is  so  fast. 

ROUND  THE  WORLD 

From  New  York  or  California,  via  Ha- 
waii, Japan,  China,  Philippines,  Straits 
Settlements,  Ceylon,  India,  Egypt  and 
home  again  across  the  sunny  South  At- 
lantic. First  Class  from  $1049  (rail  fare 
across  America  included),  $1143  all  the 
way  by  President  Liner.  Stopovers  any- 
where. 

Get  sailing  dates  and  details  from 
any  Travel  Agent  or  at  311  California 
St.,  San  Francisco. 

AMERICAN 
PRESIDENT  LINES 

Round-World  Service 


454 


TE1EFACT 


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Scienc*  5ervic«-NATIONAt  MUNICIPAl  LEAGUE  CHAIT.7-W 


Exploring  the  Universe 

( Continued  from  page  453 ) 
further  oxidation  or  rusting  while  in 
ordinary  iron  the  film  increases  in  thick- 
ness until  it  can  be  seen  as  a  tarnish. 

4 

HThe  density  of  the  planet  Pluto  has 
now  been  calculated  and  found  to 
be  about  the  same  as  the  planet  Venus 
or  about  eleven  per  cent  lighter  than 
that  of  the  earth,  whose  average 
density  is  five  and  one-half  times 
heavier  than  water. 

± 

HP  here  are  about  five  hundred  plants 

in  the  world  that  are  insect-eaters. 


\\7omen  can  withstand  cold  better 
*"     than  men  it  has  been  found  by 
heat  measurements  at  Cornell  Univer- 
sity Medical  College. 

P\ifferent  plants  vary  markedly  in 
their  method  of  exposing  their 
leaves  to  sunlight.  On  one  extreme, 
the  English  ivy  arranges  its  leaves  in 
a  mosaic  pattern  so  that  it  exposes  a 
maximum  area  to  the  light.  On  the 
other  extreme  the  compass  plant  and 
the  wild  lettuce  turn  the  edges  of  their 


leaves  in  a  north-south  direction.  When 
the  light  is  weak  as  in  morning  or  eve- 
ning the  flat  surfaces  of  the  leaves  re- 
ceive all  possible  light  but  at  noon  with 
their  edges  to  the  sun  they  receive  a 
minimum. 

Tn  a  study  of  efficiency  of  cultivated 
A  crops  in  prevention  of  soil  erosion, 
Dr.  H.  J.  Dittmer,  of  Chicago,  found 
that  the  average  number  of  roots  in  each 
cubic  inch  of  soil  in  the  top  six  inches 
ranged  from  eighty  for  soybeans  to  two 
thousand  for  Kentucky  blue  grass.  The 
total  lengths  of  the  root  hairs  of  soy- 
beans in  a  cubic  inch  averaged  forty 
feet  but  for  the  blue  grass  more  than 

four  thousand  feet. 

4 

C  everal  pounds  of  meteoritic  dust  fall 
^  on  each  square  mile  of  earth's  sur- 
face annually  according  to  preliminary 
estimate  of  Dr.  H.  H.  Nininger.  This 
dust  is  the  result  of  the  frictional  de- 
struction of  smaller  or  larger  meteor- 
ites which  are  constantly  falling  through 
the  earth's  atmosphere. 

'TPhe  aluminum  coating  on  the  Mount 
A    Wilson     hundred-inch     telescope 


TELEFACT 


CALORIES  OF  MILK  AND  ITS  PRODUCTS 


J 


BUTTER      767  CALORIES  PER  100  GRAMS 


i 


HEAVY  CREAM  491 


IlilikktiMiMiU 

CHEESE     400 


WHOLE 
MILK 


!^WW 


66.7 


Science  Service-Pictorial  Statistics,  lnc.7-26 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,    AUGUST,     1940 


Exploring  the  Universe 

lasted  for  five  years  before  renewing. 
The  silver  coatings,  used  before  the 
aluminumizing  process  was  developed, 
lasted  only  a  few  months. 

4 

/^apttve  mice  have  been  known  to  eat 
^***  their  own  weight  of  green  food 
every  twenty-four  hours. 

4 

Tn  cases  of  severe  nosebleed,  whether 
■*■  from  operation  or  disease,  plugs  of 
salt  pork  in  the  nose  are  more  effective 
than  ordinary  gauze  packs,  according 
to  Dr.  A.  J.  Cone. 
4 

r^ouiD  an  eagle  carry  away  a  child? 
^  Lewis  and  Marian  Walker  using 
an  adult  golden  eagle  which  they  had 
raised  found  that  it  could  fly  easily 
with  weights  totaling  two  pounds  at- 
tached to  its  feet;  with  four  pounds  the 
flights  were  short  and  strained;  with 
eight  pounds  the  eagle  could  fly  only 
thirty  to  forty  feet  though  it  beat  the 
air  wildly  with  its  wings.  The  Walkers 
believe  that  probably  no  eagle  ever 
carried  off  a  child  of  any  age  and  cer- 
tainly not  one  that  could  get  around 
by  itself. 

•♦ 

"D  ivets  kept  chilled  in  dry  ice  are  now 
*^  used  in  airplane  manufacture. 
After  special  heat  treatment,  aluminum 
alloy  rivets  are  placed  in  refrigerated 
boxes  at  dry  ice  temperatures  to  pre- 
vent them  from  aging  or  hardening  be- 
fore using. 

> 

VKThat  makes  the  pain  or  prickling 
^*  sensation  in  a  small  cut  or  pin 
prick  in  the  skin?  Drs.  S.  R.  Rosenthal 
and  D.  Minard  report  the  sensation  re- 
sults from  a  chemical,  histamine,  which 
is  liberated  when  the  skin  is  injured  and 
which  then  acts  on  the  nerve  endings  to 
have  them  send  a  message  of  pain  to 
the  brain. 

4 

/^oal  mining  by  hydraulic  pressure 
^  instead  of  explosives  is  expected 
to  reduce  the  hazards  of  breaking  up 
coal  in  veins.  A  hole  is  bored  in  a  coal 
seam,  a  rubber  tube  inserted  into  the 
hole,  and  the  tube  powerfully  expanded 

by  forcing  oil  into  it,  fracturing  the  coal. 

4 _ 

An  insulated  home  can  reduce  the 
■"■  heat  loss  by  almost  fifty  per  cent 
with  just  one  inch  of  insulation;  an- 
other inch  reduces  the  loss  another  third 
over  an  uninsulated  home. 
4 

HpHE  processionary  caterpillars  travel 
only  in  a  troop,  one  after  the  other, 
in  a  follow-the-leader  fashion,  forming 
a  string  which  may  be  several  yards 
long.  They  follow  so  blindly  that  in  a 
case  known  to  the  French  naturalist, 
J.  H.  Fabre,  when  the  column  was  di- 
verted into  going  around  the  edge  of 
a  stone  vase  so  that  a  circle  was 
formed,  the  troop  kept  moving  in  a  cir- 
cle without  rest  for  a  week  until  death 
overtook  it. 


COP*,,  1940 — WALT  OLSNEY  PRODUCTIONS 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


MADE  FOR 
PUNISHMENT  J 


ULkKL^s*^. 


QUESTION  "What  do  you  mean,  'RPJVT 
is  made  for  punishment?" 

ANSWER  The  blistering  temperatures 
that  modern  motors  whip  up  are  so 
terrific  —  that  "weak-sister"  oils  can't 
"take  it."  They  just  don't  last  —  and 
they  deposit  the  carbon,  sludge  and  var- 
nish that  play  mischief  with  a  motor's 

delicately  adjusted  "insides."  But  "RPM"  keeps  your  motor  free 
from  these  harmful  deposits.  And  you  can't  beat  it  for  mileage  either. 

STANDARD  OIL  COMPANY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


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tfw0t£CGk$keme&7/Ufct(&£ 


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serve   you   effectively  if   fire  should   strike  you? 

RED  COMET 

equipment  operates  on  an  entirely  different  prin- 
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UP  TO  DATE,  and  economical  to  install. 

WRITE  AT  ONCE 

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455 


/ 


!§^p|l|§§|: :"  -.-  ~.\[: '  : :'. '.: ;;.;:':' 


Photograph   by   LaMar  Davis,  Price,   Utah. 


J  Jul  Qiiic.  Sphwinq^  lx)hs&L 


["  feel  my  way  along  a  creaking  stairs 

That  stretch  a  ragged  carpet  up  the  wall, 
And  as  I  near  the  top  the  tiny  flares 
Of  sunlight  through  the  window  seem  to  fall 
Upon  a  dusty  hand-carved  spinning  wheel. 
Deserted  now,  yet  not  alone  it  stands, 
For  there  its  silver-webbed  threads  reveal 
A  mirrored  past  of  rough  but  friendly  hands. 


By  EDNA  S. 
DUSTIN 


Tt's  strange  to  think  this  tiny  wheel  that  whirled 
And  spun  its  flaxen  strands  in  rhythmic  song, 
Once  on  a  wind-swept  cliff  its  branches  furled, 
A  giant,  singing  in  a  forest  throng. 
It's  silenced,  but  it's  clothed  a  human  race, 
And  now  an  artist  has  it  draped  in  lace. 


\fhB  EDITOR'S  PAGE 


=© 


'HE  UNBELIEF  OF  ALL  THE  WORLD  CANNOT 
CHANGE    A    TRUTH,    IF    IT    IS    A    TRUTH. 


By  PRESIDENT  HEBER  J.  GRANT 


I  remember  an  occasion,  many  years  ago,  when 
the  late  Apostle,  John  Henry  Smith,  and  I  were 
preaching  in  Arizona.  A  meeting  was  held 
at  the  request  of  members  of  the  state  legislature. 
They  told  us  they  would  furnish  a  fine  opera  house 
and  fill  it  with  people  if  we  would  consent  to  preach. 
As  a  rule  we  rented  our  halls  and  paid  for  the 
privilege  of  preaching,  and  often  did  not  get  many 
to  hear  us,  so  we  were  perfectly  willing  to  "consent" 
to  do  the  preaching  when  they  furnished  an  audi- 
ence and  paid  for  the  opera  house. 

As  I  learned  afterwards,  a  very  great  compli- 
ment was  paid  to  me  while  I  was  speaking.  I  have 
heard  it  said,  by  some  people,  that  to  use  the  word 
"damn"  is  merely  "emphasis."  One  of  the  ladies 
of  our  Church  happened  to  be  sitting  near  a  gentle- 
man who  was  rather  interested  while  I  was  speaking 
in  the  opera  house  at  Phoenix,  Arizona.  She  heard 
this  gentleman,  in  front  of  her,  say,  with  "em- 
phasis," "That  fellow  is  an  earnest  preacher."  In 
a  few  minutes,  with  "emphasis"  again,  he  said  that  I 
was  a  good  preacher;  and  finally,  with  "emphasis," 
"That  fellow  believes  every  word  he  is  saying." 

That  is  exactly  what  people  must  acknowledge 
regarding  the  Latter-day  Saints,  because  we  are 
absolutely  converted  to  the  divinity  of  the  work  in 
which  we  are  engaged,  and  when  we  testify  regard- 
ing it,  we  believe  every  word  that  we  teach.  Surely 
no.  one  who  has  studied  the  history  of  our  people 
can  question  their  sincerity.  The  Latter-day  Saints 
were  expelled  from  the  state  of  Missouri,  under  an 
exterminating  order  of  the  lieutenant-governor  of 
that  state.  They  were  driven  from  their  homes  in 
the  dead  of  winter,  and  left  the  blood-prints  of 
their  feet  upon  the  snow  and  ice,  as  an  evidence  of 
their  sincerity. 

They  finally  located  in  Illinois,  and  after  estab- 
lishing a  city  of  twenty  thousand  people,  they  were 
again  attacked  by  a  mob  supported  by  the  governor 
of  the  state  of  Illinois,  and  again  driven  from  their 
homes.  The  last  remnant  of  the  people  crossed 
the  Mississippi  River,  upon  the  ice,  in  midwinter. 
During  the  very  night  that  they  were  expelled  from 
Nauvoo,  nine  babies  were  born,  with  no  shelter  but 
their  mothers'  breasts;  and  where  did  they  go?  You 
have  heard  it  sung,  "Far  away  in  the  West"- — to 
the  place  that  God  for  them  prepared. 

Into  the  wilderness  they  went,  a  thousand  miles; 
they  knew  not  where,  only  that  they  were  follow- 
ing a  Prophet  of  the  living  God,  Brigham  Young, 
who  had  seen  Salt  Lake  Valley  in  vision.  When 
they  arrived  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  overlooking  the 
valley,  he  said,  "This  is  the  place,"  and  he  could 
not  be  persuaded  to  locate  the  people  in  any  other 
place. 


Immediately  after  our  people  had  been  expelled 
from  their  homes,  and  had  gone  beyond  the  western 
borders  of  civilization,  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  called  on  President  Brigham  Young 
for  five  hundred  volunteers  to  fight  the  country's 
battles  in  Mexico.  Our  people  had  been  driven 
from  their  homes  several  times;  they  had  been  rob- 
bed of  their  property;  scores  of  their  number  had 
been  murdered,  and  many  of  their  women  had  been 
outraged;  yet  they  responded  to  this  call.  The  mes- 
senger was  told  by  President  Brigham  Young: 
"You  shall  have  your  men." 

Within  forty-eight  hours,  as  I  remember  it,  the 
required  number  had  been  enlisted.  Our  people  had 
been  expatriated;  they  had  been  expelled  from 
their  homes,  and  when  they  had  appealed  to  the 
head  of  the  nation,  they  were  told,  "Your  cause  is 
just,  but  I  can  do  nothing  for  you." 

The  Mormon  Battalion  was  mustered  into  service 
and  went  to  California.  They  later  worked  on  the 
identical  ground  where  gold  was  first  found  in 
California.  Upon  their  return  to  Utah,  they  beg- 
ged the  great  pioneer  to  go  on  to  that  rich  country, 
but  he  said:  "No,  this  is  the  place  that  God  has 
prepared  for  the  Latter-day  Saints;  we  will  stop 
here." 

In  view  of  the  sacrifices  made  by  our  people, 
there  can  be  absolutely  no  doubt  of  their  faith,  no 
doubt  of  their  sincerity.  Do  you  think  that  a  hand- 
ful of  people  would  go  on,  year  after  year,  spending 
nearly  four  million  dollars  per  annum  for  the  priv- 
ilege of  proclaiming  a  message  of  life  and  salvation, 
if  they  had  any  doubt  regarding  the  divinity  of  the 
work  in  which  they  are  engaged?  They  have  abso- 
lute faith  in  that  which  they  teach,  and  no  reason- 
able person  can  doubt  their  sincerity,  if  he  will  but 
stop  and  look  at  the  fruit  that  the  Latter-day  Saints 
bring  forth  in  their  lives. 

I  leave  with  you  my  testimony  that  the  Gospel 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  again  been  restored 
to  the  earth;  that  spiritual  manifestations  are  en- 
joyed in  the  Church. 

"Oh,"  says  one,  "I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it"; 
but  let  me  say,  all  the  unbelief  of  all  the  world  can- 
not change  a  truth,  if  it  is  a  truth.  People  may  say, 
"We  do  not  believe  this  testimony  of  Joseph  Smith; 
we  do  not  believe  that  heavenly  beings  appeared  to 
him." 

God  lives;  Jesus  is  the  Christ;  Joseph  Smith  is  a 
prophet  of  the  living  God;  we  have  the  truth;  and 
may  those  who  know  it,  so  live  that  those  who  know 
it  not  may  investigate  the  plan  of  life  and  salvation 
and  obtain  eternal  life,  the  greatest  of  all  the  gifts 
of  God  to  man. 


457 


Sswuudd^imiimL  woa.  THE  PRIDE 

OF  THE  PIONEERS 


By  JAMES  M.  KIRKHAM 

Secretary  of  the  Church  Beatttification 
Committee 


FRONT  VIEW  OF 
THE  OLD  BLACK- 
SMITH SHOP  AT 
BRIGHAM  CITY, 
UTAH. 

(Photos    by 
the    author) 


IN  far  away  Denmark  Brother 
and  Sister  Hans  C.  Jensen  were 
preparing  for  a  journey  to  a  new 
country  to  make  a  home.  They  were 
limited  as  to  the  things  they  might 
take  with  them.  One  of  the  serious 
questions  concerned  transplanting 
to  their  new  home  at  least  a  part  of 
their  flower  garden.  Flower  seeds 
could  be  gathered  and  taken,  as  they 
were  small  and  easily  packed  away. 
But  what  about  bulbs  which  were 
necessary  to  perpetuate  the  beau- 
tiful tulips  they  so  greatly  loved? 

It  was  finally  decided  that  four 
select  tulip  bulbs,  each  a  different 
variety,  might  be  taken.  These, 
with  the  flower  seeds,  would  provide 
a  start  for  their  new  garden.  The 
bulbs  were  packed  away  in  the  food 
box  because  of  lack  of  space  in  any 
other  place.  On  the  journey,  a  fel- 
low passenger,  who  thought  the 
bulbs  were  onions,  ate  one  of  them. 
It  was  not  until  years  later  that  they 
were  able  to  replace  this  rare  va- 
riety with  another  bulb  of  the  same 
kind. 

With  a  pride  for,  and  a  love  of 
beautiful  home  surroundings  in  his 
heart,  Hans  C.  Jensen,  a  blacksmith 
and  gardener,  eighty  years  ago  left 
Denmark  to  make  his  home  in  Brig- 
ham  City,  Utah.  He  and  his  wife, 
Mary,  arrived  there  in  the  fall  of 
1860. 

Soon  after  their  arrival,  a  home 
458 


LILAC  TREE  NEAR  THE  BLACKSMITH  SHOP, 
SAID  TO  HAVE  BEEN  PLANTED  OVER  SEVENTY- 
FIVE  YEARS  AGO. 


was  built  and  a  blacksmith  shop 
was  erected.  Then  his  love  for  the 
beautiful  found  expression  in  the 
careful  attention  he  gave  the  home 
grounds.  The  bulbs  they  brought 
with  them  were  planted  that  autumn 
and  today  the  tulips  traceable  to  that 
beginning  are  numbered  by  the 
thousands.  Flowers  and  shrubs 
were  planted,  also,  and  one  lilac 
tree  still  survives  its  early  planting. 
It  is  said  to  be  seventy-five  years 
old.     (See  photograph.) 

On  North  Main  Street  in  Brigham 
City,  across  the  street  from  where 
was  once  a  pioneer  hotel  and  livery 
stable,  Mr.  Jensen  followed  his  trade 
of  blacksmith  for  many  years.  He 
has  now  been  dead  for  several  years, 
but  the  pride  and  love  of  the  beau- 
tiful still  carry  on  in  the  lives  of  his 
two  surviving  daughters.  The  old 
blacksmith  shop  has  been  made  into 
a  cottage.  It  has  been  painted,  and 
the  surroundings  are  well  kept.  Some 
things  about  the  home  may  not  be 
in  accord  with  modern  landscaping 
ideas,  but  everything  pertaining  to 
it  is  neat  and  clean  and  beautifully 
( Concluded  on  page  502 ) 


STREET  VIEW  IN 
FRONT  OF  THE  OLD 
BLACKSMITH  SHOP 
IN  BRIGHAM  CITY, 
UTAH. 


fcdqah,  CI.  IjWL&L  AOIfA. 


■ 


IT'S  UP 


\\ 


TO  YOU 


// 


AN   INFORMAL  CANDID   CAMERA  STUDY  OF   EDGAR 
A.     GUEST,     PHOTOGRAPHED     BY     THE     AUTHOR. 


The  voice  at  the  other  end  of  the 
wire  was  vibrant,  jolly.  "Yes, 
I'd  be  delighted!  Call  at  my 
office  in  the  Free  Press  Building 
Monday  morning  at  eleven." 

At  the  appointed  time,  Ralph 
Lindsey  and  I  walked  in  and  found 
Detroit's  poet  laureate  bustling 
about  his  office  like  an  energetic 
beaver. 

"Come  right  in!"  he  beamed,  ex- 
tending a  chubby  hand.  "How's  my 
good  friend,  President  Grant?" 

And  there  we  were,  steeped  in  a 
super-friendly  atmosphere,  talking 
to  "Eddie"  Guest.  "One  of  the  finest 
fellows  I  ever  met"  would  be  my 
description  of  him.  Short,  clean- 
shaven, neatly  attired,  vitally  hu- 
man, he  dotes  on  stories  of  down-to- 
earth  folk  who  have  done  "a  heap  o' 
livin'."  And  during  his  fifty-nine 
years  he  has  constantly  been  in  high 
gear  to  prove  that  "it  can  be  done." 

Born  in  Birmingham,  England,  he 
developed  a  love  for  verse  as  a  boy, 
when  he  used  to  sit  on  his  mother's 
knee  before  an  open  hearth  and  listen 
to  her  renditions  of  Shakespeare. 
But  the  scene  was  changed  for  the 
Guest  family,  and  young  Edgar,  at 
the  age  of  nine,  found  himself  grow- 
ing up  in  a  booming  American  me- 
tropolis. In  those  days,  the  dynamic 
youth  stood  on  street  corners  and 
shouted  "Extra!  Paper!"  He  had 
printer's  ink  in  his  veins.  The  De- 
troit Free  Press  was  a  growing  news- 
paper and  Eddie  was  behind  it,  push- 
ing. By  successive  bounds  he  leaped 
right  into  the  front  seat.  Back  when 
baseball  scores  were  chalked  instead 
of  broadcast,  Edgar  A.  Guest  was  a 
"score  boy."  Then  he  was  promoted 
to  the  position  of  office  boy,  and  as  he 


Detroit,  Michigan 

A  short  time  ago  Edgar  A.  Guest 
granted  Elder  Ralph  Lindsey  and 
me  the  privilege  of  an  interview. 
We  also  took  pictures.  Mr.  Guest 
was  very  cordial  to  us  and  expressed 
best  wishes  to  President  Grant 

The  purpose  of  our  interview  was 
to  get  Mr.  Guest's  statements  re- 
garding young  people  and  their  ef- 
forts toward  success  in  life.  The  high 
calibre  common  sense  expounded  by 
the  poet  thrilled  us,  so  I  have  com- 
posed the  enclosed  article  with  the 
hope  that  Era  readers  may  enjoy, 
as  we  did,  his  words  of  advice. 
Respectfully  yours, 

Elder  G.  Max  Larsen. 


By  G.  MAX  LARSEN 

Of  the  Northern  States  Mission 


a  messenger  boy.  Show  the  other 
fellows  what  a  messenger  boy  can 
do.  It's  not  the  fact  that  a  job  barely 
keeps  you  alive  that  counts.  It's  the 
fact  that  you  do  it  yourself.  And 
the  respect  you  gain  is  worth  the 
price.  I  feel  sorry  for  the  fellow  who 
thinks  the  world  owes  him  a  living. 
No  one  ever  planned  a  meal  for  that 
bird.  If  you  have  a  capacity  to  do 
anything,  for  heaven's  sake,  use  it 
up! 

That  kind  of  philosophy  inspired 
these  words: 

Success!    It's  found  in  the  soul  of  you, 

And  not  in  the  realm  of  luck! 
The  world  will  furnish  the  work  to  do, 

But  you  must  provide  the  pluck. 
You  can  do  whatever  you  think  you  can, 

It's  all  in  the  way  you  view  it. 
It's  all  in  the  start  that  you  make,  young 


grew  older  became  a  cub  reporter, 
police  reporter,  exchange  writer,  and 
finally  the  bronze  plate  on  his  desk 
spelled  "Editor." 

Where  did  poetry-writing  find  a 
niche  in  his  journalistic  stride?  That, 
he  says,  was  an  accident.  One  Sun- 
day edition  in  1899  carried  a  few 
lines  he  had  dashed  off  in  negro 
dialect.  The  poem  struck  a  tender 
chord  in  the  hearts  of  rhyme-loving 
Detroiters.  Since  then  Edgar  A. 
Guest's  name  has  become  one  of  the 
foremost  on  the  American  roster. 
Completely  void  of  obtrusive  rhet- 
oric, his  verse  has  made  itself  "at 
home"  with  a  public  that  doesn't  or- 
dinarily relax  comfortably  and  pe- 
ruse Chaucer  or  Keats  through 
horn-rimmed  spectacles. 

The  secret  of  his  success?  There 
is  no  secret.  To  any  young  man  or 
woman  about  to  tread  upon  life's 
griddle  he  would  say: 

"There  is  no  easy  way  to  success. 
No  short-cut.  If  a  thing  is  worth 
having  it's  worth  working  for.  The 
best  men  in  all  professions  are  the 
busiest.     I  don't  care  if  you're  just 


man: 


You  must  feel  that  you're  going  to  do  it. 
— Excerpt   from    "How   Do   You 
Tackle  Your  Work?" 

By  nature  Mr.  Guest  is  a  "family 
man,"  paternally  interested  in  young 
and  old.  He  says  the  home  should 
be  a  place  "where  the  gang  can  get 
together."  Here's  what  he  says 
about  parental- juvenile  ties : 

"Modern,  hey-day  life  hasn't 
changed  the  responsibilities  of 
Mother  and  Dad  one  bit.  If  parents 
grow  with  their  children,  all  the  con- 
veniences accused  of  adding  tempta- 
tions to  modem  life  are  just  taken 
in  the  stride.  I'd  be  silly  trying  to 
take  my  boy  back  to  my  boyhood. 
I've  got  to  fit  myself  into  his.  If  he 
comes  running  and  says,  'Dad,  I 
want  to  do  this,  or  that,  because  all 
the  other  boys  are  doing  it,'  I  mustn't 
tell  him  he  can't  do  it  because  I 
wasn't  allowed  to  when  I  was  a  boy. 
I  must  tell  him  to  go  ahead  and  do 
it,  if  he  must,  but  to  do  it  decently. 

"And  I  don't  think  the  raising  of  a 
family  should  be  left  up  to  the  neigh- 
bors. If  you  leave  it  to  other  people 
to  teach  your  children  you'll  have  to 
take  what  they  are  taught." 

"Home,"    epitomizes    Edgar    A. 

(Concluded  on  page  488) 

459 


QUIT 
SMOKING 


,VL--4^, 


OR 


COOPER'S 
LAST  STAND 

By  COURTNEY  RYLEY  COOPER 
T/oiL  jco/l  Afc/z.  Amnidm^—muL  JUIul  it! 


Reprinted  by  permission 
from  Reader's  Digest 


The  scene  is  deeply  etched.  It 
was  on  a  lazy  Florida  after- 
noon; on  my  studio  floor  snored 
my  terriers,  the  Four  Barx  Brothers. 
All  in  an  instant  I  whisked  away  a 
lighted  cigarette  and  said  aloud: 
"No;  I've  stopped  smoking."  Here 
was  the  culmination  of  many  years' 
resolution,  each  too  weak  to  stand 
by  itself,  but  all  forming  a  basis  for 
Cooper's  Last  Stand.  Now  I  must 
either  lick  the  foe  or  admit  to  being 
a  weakling  and  a  sucker. 

Suddenly  I  was  terrified — a  sniv- 
eling sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  reso- 
lution. It  was  the  kind  of  after- 
noon for  a  fellow  to  lean  back  from 
his  typewriter,  forget  his  work  for 
a  moment  and  light  a  cig — 

But  I  had  sworn  off. 

My  smoking  had  gotten  a  bit 
thick.  For  more  than  forty  years  I 
had  sucked  up  nicotine  like  a  filling 
station  sponge.  Even  at  night  I 
awakened  many  times  and  grabbed 
for  a  cigarette.  And  now  I  stood 
quivering  with  the  knowledge  of 
what  I  was  in  for.  I  didn't  even 
have  any  help;  my  wife  was  out  shop- 
ping.    I  was  alone — 

Alone!  I  laughed.  No  need  to 
tell  anyone  what  I  had  done.  No 
need  for  braggadocio,  or  alibis  in 
case  I  couldn't  stick  it  out.  If  I 
failed,  there  would  be  no  shame. 
Nobody  could  kid  me  into  weaken- 
ing, because  nobody  knew. 

Suddenly  everything  was  swell. 
Deliberately  I  put  some  cigarettes 
in  my  pocket;  that  afternoon  I  fin- 
gered them  a  hundred  times.  At 
last,  I  laid  them  aside.  I  had  lived 
460 


for  eight  hours  without  smoking. 
Why  shouldn't  I  be  able  to  live  eight 
hours  more?  I  refused  to  touch  my 
cigarette  box  when  I  went  to  bed. 
Someway  I  managed  to  sleep,  only 
to  awaken  with  a  horror  hanging 
over  me — of  something  terrible  I'd 
done — 

Then  I  heard  the  clock  strike 
four.  I'd  been  asleep  for  six  straight 
hours,  something  unheard  of  for 
years!  My  terror  passed;  now  I 
really  laughed.  Snapping  on  the 
light,  I  opened  the  box  and  streamed 
cigarettes  through  my  fingers,  ex- 
ulting over  them.  "I've  got  you 
licked!''  I  gloated.  "If  I  can  stay 
away  from  you  this  long,  I  can  stay 
away  forever." 

Here  the  story  chops  short.  On 
that  November  day  when  the  Big 
Excitement  happened  I  was  twenty 
pounds  underweight.  I  had  no  taste 
for  food.  I  had  smoker's  throat,  a 
bronchial  cough,  smoker's  nerves, 
sinus,  and  spine — about  as  rigid  as 
a  rubber  band.  The  fingers  of  both 
hands  were  stained  a  deep  walnut. 
I  was  ashamed  to  open  my  mouth 
because  of  the  thick  nicotine  incrus- 
tations on  my  teeth,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  brown  fur  on  my  tongue.  I  was 
a  one-man  furnace. 

A  single  month  brought  about  a 
great  change.  My  smoker's 
pulse,  which  often  had  pounded 
along  at  120,  dropped  back  to  a 
pleasing  72.  I  could  really  taste  and 
enjoy  food  for  the  first  time  in  ten 
years.  The  smoker's  throat,  cough, 
and  sinus  inflammation  were  gone. 


EDITOR'S  NOTE 

THE  word  for  Courtney  Ryley 
Cooper  is  vigorous.  He  went  to 
work  at  15,  and  has  been  a  teamster, 
trucker,  vaudeville  hoofer,  newspa- 
perman, and  everything  in  a  circus 
from  animal  trainer  to  general  man- 
ager. During  the  World  War  he 
served  in  the  Marines.  After  the 
war  he  unleashed  a  torrent  of  short 
stories,  photoplays,  radio  sketches, 
magazine  articles  and  books.  On  one 
magazine  assignment  he  spent  months 
flying  and  mushing  in  the  far  North. 
For  the  past  several  years  he  has 
specialized  in  crime,  working  closely 
with  the  Federal  Bureau  of  Investi- 
gation. From  the  FBI  he  obtained 
material  for  his  books:  Ten  Thou* 
sand  Public  Enemies,  Here's  to  Crime, 
and  Designs  in  Scarlet. 


Today  if  I  don't  sleep  eight  hours  at 
a  stretch,  I  complain  about  it.  The 
only  scar  remaining  is  the  wish  that 
I'd  done  all  this  25  years  ago. 

I  had  attempted  it  often  enough, 
but  without  the  proper  philosophy. 
Usually  I  told  everyone  that  I  was 
going  to  try  to  stop  smoking.  Or  I 
began  the  "tapering-off"  technique, 
and  all  that  self-delusion  bilge.  In 
a  few  days,  I  was  smoking  like  a 
fire  engine  again.  How  anyone  af- 
flicted with  acute  nervous  nicotin- 
itis  can  cut  down  on  his  intake  is 
something  I've  never  learned.  On 
the  contrary,  everybody  who  has 
studied  the  problem  of  smoking 
avers  that  there  is  only  one  way  to 
decrease  the  intake — and  that  is 
to  stop  altogether.  J.  C.  Furnas  re- 
cently made  an  exhaustive  canvass 
of  smokers;  his  principal  finding 
was  that  you'll  either  cut  smoking 
off  short  and  take  it  on  the  chin, 
or  you  won't  cut  it  out  at  all! 

From  forty- five  of  my  acquaint- 
ances who  have  sworn  off,  I  have 
discovered   some   rather   surprising 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,     1940 


things.  Those  who  experienced  the 
least  difficulty  in  quitting  were  those 
who  did  least  talking  about  it.  As 
one  friend  put  it: 

"If  you're  going  to  build  bridges 
back  to  smoking  even  before  you 
quit,  then  quitting  is  just  a  pre- 
tense. You're  going  to  lay  off  for  a 
while,  go  through  hell  and  high 
water,  start  smoking  a  little  on  the 
sly,  then  get  back  hard  as  ever, 
meanwhile  lying  your  head  off  about 
how  you  really  found  out  it  was 
better  for  you  to  cut  down  grad- 
ually." 

One  cigarette  is  just  as  dangerous 
to  an  ex-smoker  as  one  drink  is  to 
a  reformed  drunkard.  Actually, 
excessive  smoking  is  just  a  form  of 
drunkenness.  If  I  had  a  boy  whom 
I  was  trying  to  guide,  I'd  tell  him 
to  take  the  liquor  route  rather  than 
the  tobacco  road.  Your  doctor  can 
scare  you  into  quitting  drink.  But 
most  doctors  will  only  say  about 
smoking:  "Well,  maybe  you'd  bet- 
ter cut  down." 

Yet  there  exists  no  doubt  about 
the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  cut- 
ting out  tobacco.  Of  my  friends 
who  have  stopped  nibbling  at  nico- 
tine, all  but  two  or  three  are  feeling 
far  more  fit.  Headaches  have  van- 
ished, sinus  troubles  decreased.  In 
some  instances,  sight  has  been  en- 
hanced; others  mention  a  keener 
sense  of  smell,  even  of  hearing. 
With  many,  there  has  been  a  les- 
sening of  indigestion  and  bilious- 
ness, and  a  greater  resistance  against 
colds  or  flu.  Smoker's  throat  and 
cough  have  disappeared.  While 
some  have  gained  weight,  most  have 
not  gained  in  size.  Since  I  stopped 
smoking,  I  have  gained  twenty 
pounds,  and  can  drool  easily  at  the 
thought  of  oysters,  a  sirloin  steak, 
baked  potato,  and  ice  cream.  Yet  I 
still  wear  the  same  size  clothes  and 
my  thirty-two  waistline  is  exactly 
the  same. 

This  is  probably  due  to  an  in- 
creased desire  for  activity.  A  per- 
son feels  better,  and  goes  in  for 
more  exercise.  The  type  of  flesh 
which  one  puts  on  by  abstinence 
from  smoking  seems  entirely  dif- 
ferent from  the  inner-tube  variety 
which  attaches  itself  to  the  midriff 
as  a  result  of  indolence. 


Heavy  smokers  become  accus- 
tomed to  irritation  of  the  throat 
and  some  sort  of  taste  in  the  mouth, 
and  my  friends  agree  that  this  is 
the  big  thing  to  beat  in  staying 
away  from  tobacco.  In  times  of 
stress,  I  sucked  on  a  menthol  cough- 


\<.>WIT*- 


drop  or  mint.  Others  have  used 
hard  candies.  But  stay  away  from 
soft  candies;  you'll  eat  the  whole 
box  before  you  realize  it. 

The  person  who  stops  smoking 
must  inure  himself  to  the  knowl- 
edge that  every  old  association  will 
bring  a  recurring  desire.  Once  this 
is  understood,  however,  it  is  just  an- 
other apple  in  the  bag.  The  desire 
can  be  squelched  by  a  compensatory 
amount  of  reasoning  which  makes 
the  craving  ridiculous.  This  phase 
grows  weaker  the  more  you  laugh 
about  what  a  nuisance  smoking  used 
to  be.  Soon  the  thought  of  smoking 
seldom  enters  your  mind. 

One  association  will  not  bother 
you:   the  smell  of  cigarette  smoke. 

CHIP  OFF  THE  BLOCK 
By  Howard  M.  Cullimore 
"Oemember,  Dad,  as  you  sit  and  wait, 
"*■*■  And  your  son  conies  home  to  supper 

late; 
Or  when  the  baseball  lands  with  a  sickening 
din, 
As  it  knocks  the  north  view  window  in; 
Or  when  his  school  report  shows  C's  and 
D's, 
And  the  breaking   of  spring  makes  him 
ill  at  ease; 
Or  when  he  fails  to  come  at  your  beck  and 
call, 
And  acts  as  if  he  hadn't  heard  at  all; 
Or  when  he  makes   a  noise  in   church  or 
school, 
And  seems  to  heed  not  a  single  rule; 
He  needs   correction   and  help  it    is   true, 
But  isn't  he  much  like  the  boy  that  was 
you? 


Indeed,  it  has  the  opposite  effect; 
the  longer  one  stays  way  from  to- 
bacco, the  more  obnoxious  it  be- 
comes. The  exhalation  from  an- 
other's cigarette  stinks  like  a  dead 
cat,  and  revives  no  memories  except 
unhappy  ones  of  headache,  hack- 
ing coughs,  a  half-dead  feeling,  and 
hours  in  which  one  sits  cussing  him- 
self for  being  able  to  do  nothing  but 
suck  on  a  tube  of  tobacco. 

Always  remember  this:  no  one 
ever  died  or  went  crazy  from  lack 
of  tobacco.  The  worst  that  can 
happen  to  you  is  annoyance,  for 
which  you  are  repaid  by  better  wind 
and  pulse,  and  a  mouth  which  doesn't 
taste  like  glue. 

The  strange  thing  about  all  this 
is  that  practically  no  one  looks 
upon  tobacco  as  a  vile  evil.  Some 
of  my  friends  do  feel,  however, 
that  the  public  has  been  high- 
pressured  into  smoking  more  than 
is  good  for  it,  and  that  there  are 
indications  of  a  back-fire.  No  mat- 
ter what  the  radio  programs  say, 
cigarettes  just  don't  soothe  nerves 
or  win  100-yard  dashes. 

To  those  who  desire  to  stop 
smoking  because  of  a  belief  that  the 
habit  is  harmful,  I  recommend  lis- 
tening to  the  cigarette  hours  on  the 
radio!  Here  is  a  cigarette  that  tells 
you  that  it  contains  no  waste  ma- 
terial, dust,  or  other  terrible  things 
that  rival  manufacturers  put  into 
their  product.  Another  boasts  that 
its  tobaccos  are  less  harmful  on  the 
throat.  A  third  promises  that  it  will 
cure  that  annoying  cigarette  cough. 
After  all,  you  can't  accuse  your  com- 
petitor of  every  crime  in  the  calendar 
without  being  suspected  yourself. 

To  stop  smoking  is  a  real  job, 
but  it  is  not  as  sacrificial  as  one 
likes  to  pretend.  I  wish  I  could  as- 
sume gigantic  stature  and  stand, 
Napoleon-like,  with  a  hand  in  my 
vest,  while  I  relate  terrible  experi- 
ences. But  I  can  only  say  that,  like 
any  other  abrupt  change,  quitting 
smoking  is  serious,  but  not  crucial. 
One  must  employ  every  possible 
element  of  one's  sense  of  humor, 
whip  up  all  the  pride  that  ever  ex- 
isted— -and  use  common  sense.  Af- 
ter all,  why  fuss  and  worry  about 
something  that  enables  you  to  wake 
up  rested  in  the  morning,  restores 
your  mental  clarity,  and  adds  years 
to  your  life  by  decreasing  your 
chance  of  physical  breakdown? 

An  overwhelming  desire  for  a  cig- 
arette is  possibly  sweeping  over  you 
right  now.  But  why  should  a  puny 
piece  of  paper  with  some  tobacco 
inside  it  be  allowed  to  push  you 
around? 

46) 


pjwuf&jcL  aiwL  waixPunL  cl  ■_ 


BY 

EDITH 
LOVELL 


TURNING  TIDE 


Z        ^V^^WTH- 


"*(•-»»«•»,» 


u 


U 


p-a-deck!"  called 
Mary  Reynolds  to  her  sleeping  fam- 

'Aye,  aye,  captain,     said  Kath- 
leen, who  was  seventeen. 

"Okay,  sailor,"  said  Dean,  who 
was  a  hard-boiled  eight,  and  five- 
year-old  Doris,  Dean's  official  echo. 

"Okay,  thailor,"  said  roly-poly 
Rose,  and  added,  "wanta  get  up!" 

"It's  too  early  for  small  fry,"  said 
Kathleen,  and  tucked  the  covers 
around   her   little   sisters. 

"Come  on,  Richard,"  called  Mary 
Reynolds.  "Daddy  will  be  coming 
in,  in  just  a  minute." 

"Yeah,"  said  Richard,  as  if  the 
weight  of  his  twelve  years  lay  heav- 
ily on  his  chest. 

"Hi,  Daddy!"  greeted  Kathleen  as 
Henry  Reynolds  came  in  from 
chores.  "Today  is  the  day  we  go 
to  town  and  buy  the  college  girl  some 
clothes!" 

"Yes,"  said  Henry  gravely.  "I 
wish — ■"  but  he  did  not  finish  the 
wish. 

"What    time    are    we    going    to 
town?"  asked  Mary. 
462 


"I'll  be  through  irrigating  about 
one  o'clock,"  said  Henry.  "Richard 
can  go  up  and  shut  the  water  off." 

"I  want  to  go  to  town,  too,"  said 
Richard,  dismayed. 

"Well,  you  could  get  back  in  time 
to  go,  if  you  weren't  so  slow,"  said 
Henry.  "What  do  you  want  to  go 
to  town  for,  anyway?  Something 
important?" 

"No,"  said  Richard.  "Nothing  / 
ever  want  to  do  is  important." 

"Let's  not  quarrel  this  morning," 
Mary  said  quietly,  though  there  was 
a  catch  in  her  voice.  The  family  sat 
down  to  breakfast. 

JtIenry  Reynolds  strode 
through  half-ripe  wheat.  It  was 
thin,  too  thin.  Half  a  crop,  he 
thought — and  half  a  price  too!  There 
had  been  a  time  when  he  had  loved 
this  eighty  acres  of  Idaho  soil  at  the 
head  of  a  small  valley.  He  had  been 
proud  of  his  private  reservoir,  fed 
by  a  small  creek.  He  and  Mary 
had  planted  the  trees,  and  built  the 
farmhouse,  and  dreamed  great 
dreams  for  their  growing  brood  of 
strong  and  intelligent  youngsters. 
Sometimes  it  had  been  lonesome;  the 


nearest  ward  chapel  was  twenty 
miles  down  the  valley,  at  the  county 
seat.  In  the  rush  of  plantings  and 
harvests,  and  fence-building  and 
ditch-making  there  had  been  too 
little  time  for  Church  activities. 

Came  a  cycle  of  dry  years,  when 
the  little  reservoir  only  half  filled 
up  during  the  spring  run-off.  When 
a  man  loves  growing  fields,  he  can't 
see  them  wilt  and  turn  brown.  A 
part  of  Henry  Reynolds  shriveled 
and  seared  with  his  fields  of  wheat 
and  alfalfa. 

"I'm  just  a  failure,"  he  said  to 
himself,  bitterly.  As  year  by  year 
his  family  needed  more,  his  earnings 
had  become  less  and  less.  This  year 
was  the  pay-off,  though.  With  good 
luck,  he  would  make  it,  with  a  small 
margin  to  spare  for  Kathleen's  room- 
rent  and  books  at  college. 

But  there  was  the  ever-present 
menace  of  crickets.  Last  year  they 
had  come  within  a  mile,  swarming 
over  the  sagebrush  flats  at  the  edge 
of  the  valley  and  leaving  bare  the 
three  or  four  alfalfa  fields  that  lay 
in  their  path.  This  year  they  were 
even  closer,  marching  in  a  half-mile 
swath,  parallel  to  Henry's  farm,  and 
less  than  a  mile  from  it. 

These  were  the  same  ugly  crickets 
which  had  been  a  scourge  to  the 
early  Latter-day  Saints  in  Utah. 
Black,  greedy,  pushed  by  some  un- 
known motive,  they  traveled  head- 
long through  streams,  over  boulders, 
gobbling  every  speck  of  green 
growth  in  their  path.  Sometimes 
they  reversed  their  march,  tumbling 
and  scrambling  back  over  the  path 
in  which  they  had  come.  Sometimes 
they  turned  at  right  angles,  leaving 
a  path  as  square-cut  as  if  a  machine 
had  run  through  it.  The  state  was 
going  to  spread  bait,  according  to 
the  newspapers,  but  so  far  the  battle 
had  not  progressed  beyond  the  print- 
ed page. 

A  fine  lot  he'd  have  to  give  Rich- 
ard to  start  with,  Henry  thought. 
But  Richard  seemed  to  despise  the 
farm  anyway.  He  was  sullen,  hard 
to  figure  out. 

Kathleen  was  different.  She  was  a 


"NO,"  SAID  DR.  GANN 

CERTAIN     OF     THAT. 

THERE'S    ALWAYS    A    CHANCE    THAT 

IT   IS." 


"I'M  ALMOST 
OF     COURSE 


-*P<$Mtrn 


plucky  kid.  She  had  her  heart  set 
on  being  a  teacher.  She  had  helped 
in  the  fields  when  the  need  arose; 
she  had  earned  a  little  here  and 
there,  hoeing  beets,  working  as 
"hired  girl,"  driving  derrick  horse. 
She  always  had  a  smile  and  a  joke — 
like  Mary.  And  when  Henry 
thought  of  Mary  he  grew  more 
sober.  There  was  something  the 
matter  with  Mary.  Henry  didn't 
know  whether  hers  was  a  soul  sick- 
ness, like  his  own,  or  whether  she 
needed  a  doctor's  attention.  Some- 
times when  he  was  talking  to  her, 
Henry  would  see  that  she  was  not 
listening.  Sometimes  when  she 
made  a  joke,  so  that  they  all  laughed, 
she  would  turn  around  quickly. 
Once  Henry  saw  tears  in  her  eyes 
as  she  turned  around. 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


she  thought  of  Kathleen's  fierce 
loyalty.  She  thought  of  Henry,  too, 
discouraged  and  beaten;  Richard, 
sensitive,  vulnerable,  like  his  father; 
why  was  it  that  two  so  much  alike 
couldn't  understand  each  other? 
There  was  happy-go-lucky  Dean, 
and  wee  Doris,  and  sweet  little  Rose 
— how  could  she  bear  to  leave  them? 
Mary  Reynolds  caught  her  breath 
sharply  and  squeezed  back  the  tears 
that  tried  to  come.  This  was  no 
way  to  do!  She  would  go  to  Doctor 
Gann  and  find  out  the  truth.  Some- 
times, if  you  found  out  soon  enough, 
something  could  be  done.  She 
wouldn't  tell  Henry  until  she  found 
out.  It  would  take  money,  money 
that  they  didn't  have — but  there'd 
have  to  be  a  way. 

"They  need  me,"  she  whispered 
to  herself.    "I  can't  leave  them!" 

"Hep,  hep,  company  halt!"  said 
Richard.  "Advance  three  paces  and 
raise  the  colors!"  He  took  three 
measured  steps  forward  and  raised 
a  stick.  He  was  a  Scout!  He  wasn't 
sure  that  these  were  the  orders  under 
which  the  Scouts  marched,  nor 
whether  they  even  hoisted  their 
colors,  but  they  might.  They  went 
on  hikes,  and  earned  merit  badges, 
and  learned  to  tie  knots  and  save 
lives! 

As  he  let  down  the  heavy  gate  to 
shut  the  water  out  of  the  ditch,  Rich- 
ard thought  of  how  much  fun  it  must 
be  to  wear  a  uniform,  and  march  in 
parades,  and  even  sometimes  go  to 
camp  in  summer!  You  could  fish 
in  the  reservoir,  and  hike  up  the 
canyon;  you  could  even  take  spuds 
to  bake  in  the  ashes  of  a  campfire. 
It  was  fun,  all  right,  and  having 
Dean  along  was  better  than  going 
alone;  but  it  wasn't  like  going  with 
a  whole  bunch  of  fellows.  Dean 
liked  to  catch  crawdads  and  make 
mud  pies — baby  stuff! 


Wi 


at 


lwENTY-THREE    dollars 

and  sixty  cents,"  said  Kathleen. 
"That  seems  like  an  awful  lot  to 
spend  for  clothes!" 

"It  takes  a  lot,"  said  Mary.  "You'll 
need  shoes,  and  underthings;  you 
ought  to  have  a  nice  long  dress  for 
dancing." 

"There's    my    graduation    dress. 

s  nice. 

"I  don't  know;  I  didn't  make  it 
fit  too  well  around  the  waist,"  said 
Mary,  doubtfully. 

"It's  just  fine!"  Katnleen  said. 
Mary  went  outside  quickly,  osten- 
sibly to  feed  the  chickens.  She 
swallowed  a  lump  in  her  throat  as 


hen  Richard  arrived 
home,  everybody  was  ready  to  leave 
except  himself  and  Kathleen.  Henry 
was  impatient. 

Richard  dived  into  the  wash  basin, 
made  a  dab  at  his  neck  and  ears  and 
ran  upstairs.  Kathleen  had  his 
clothes  laid  out  on  the  bed.  She  was 
ready,  too,  and  was  waiting  for  him. 

"Hurry,  Dick,"  she  said.  "I'll  wait 
here  for  you."  She  waited  until 
Richard  was  out  to  the  car,  and  then 
she  hurried  out,  too. 

"I'm  sorry  I'm  so  slow,  Daddy," 
Kathleen  said.  "I'm  an  old,  old 
lady." 

Henry  smiled.    Richard  squeezed 

Kathleen's    hand    in    gratefulness. 

{Continued  on  page  507) 

463 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


DRESDEN  CODEX,  PAGE  74 

Scattered  among  the  numerous 
libraries  of  Mexico  Gity  are 
well  over  a  hundred  ancient 
Indian  writings,  most  of  them  still 
awaiting  interpretation  by  competent 
scholars.  They  represent  what  is 
left  of  a  systematized  destruction  of 
Indian  manuscripts  by  early  Spanish 
missionaries  and  by  the  Indians 
themselves.  The  missionaries  view- 
ed the  manuscripts  as  impediments 
to  the  process  of  conversion,  and 
with  religious  zeal  reduced  the  native 
paintings  to  ashes. 

The  first  Archbishop  of  Mexico, 
Don  Juan  de  Zumarraga,  collected 
all  the  paintings  he  could  find  in  the 
Indian  archives  only  to  toss  these 
"tokens  of  bad  spirits  and  the  devil" 
into  the  flames.  Bishop  Diego  de 
Landa  supervised  an  even  more  thor- 
ough destruction  of  native  Mayan 
writings  in  Yucatan.  The  less  re- 
sponsible missionaries  and  unlettered 
soldiers  were  not  slow  in  imitating 
the  work  of  their  superiors,  The 
indignant  Indian,  aware  of  the  fate 
of  his  sacred  writings,  reluctantly 
destroyed  them  rather  than  see  them 
fall  into  the  wanton  hands  of  the 
conquering  Spaniards.  Some  few 
of  these  codices  were  hidden  by  the 
Indians,  while  others,  falling  into 
more  appreciative  hands,  found  their 
way  to  Europe  to  be  carefully  pre- 
served in  public  and  private  libraries. 

It  is  the  aim  of  this  article  to  pre- 
sent representative  pages  from  some 
464 


MEXICAN  AND 
MAYAN  CODICES 


By  C  E.  DIBBLE 

Assistant  Curator,  Department 

of  Sociology  and  Anthropology, 

University  of  Utah 

of  these  codices  which  have  survived 
to  our  day,  pointing  out  the  character 
of  their  content:  their  wealth  of 
mythology,  history,  and  religion. 
The  writer  has  chosen  from  the  bet- 
ter known  and  more  accurately  in- 


DRESDEN  CODEX,  PAGE  12 

terpreted  manuscripts  that  the  reader 
may  form  an  idea  of  the  research 
yet  to  be  realized  on  the  uninter- 
preted codices. 

Description  of  Codices 

HPhe  codices  were  written  by  a  spe- 
cially trained  and  highly  re- 
spected group  of  native  writers  who 
were  schooled  in  the  symbolism  and 
mythology  of  their  people.  Among 
the  Aztecs  they  were  known  as  the 
Tlacuiloque  (writers  or  painters). 
The  manuscripts  were  painted  on 
skins,  cotton  cloth,  or  ( in  most  cases ) 
on  a  fabric  made  from  the  leaves  of 


Charles  E.  Dibble,  Assistant 
Curator  in  the  Department  of 
Sociology  and  Anthropology  at  the 
University  of  Utah,  where  he  received 
his  B.  A.  degree  in  1936,  spent  two 
years  at  the  Univevsidad  Nacional 
de  Mexico  studying  the  ancient  In- 
dian writings  he  describes.  He  re- 
ceived his  M.  A.  degree  in  anthro- 
pology from  that  institution  in  1938, 
and  was  elected  the  following  year  to 
the  Sociedad  Mexicana  de  Anthro- 
pologia,  a  society  particularly  inter- 
ested in  Central  American  culture. 

A  native  of  Layton,  Utah,  Mr.  Dib- 
ble labored  in  the  German-Austrian 
Mission  from  1930  to  1933  and  was 
a  member  of  the  North  Davis  Sunday 
School  Stake  Board  from  1933  to 
1936. 


the  aloe  ( agave  Americana )  which 
the  natives  call  maguey.  The  codex 
was  usually  a  long  sheet  folded  to 
spread  out  much  as  a  scenic  post 
card  folder  with  the  paintings  some- 
times on  one  side  but  more  often  on 
both.  The  ink  was  made  from  vege- 
table ox  mineral  dyes  and  was  usu- 
ally red,  blue-green,  yellow,  or 
black.  The  writings  were  essentially 
hieroglyphic;  yet,  some  of  the  Aztec 
writings  appear  to  have  been  ap- 
proaching a  phonetic  system. 

The  content  of  the  Indian  manu- 
scripts was  historical,  astronomical, 
mythological,  geographical,  genea- 
logical, and  religious.  Due  to  their 
content,  they  were  understood  and 
read  not  by  the  layman  but  only  by 
those  belonging  to  the  highly  organ- 


BORGIAN  CODEX 


flUf 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,    AUGUST,    1940 


ized  and  thoroughly  trained  military 
and  religious  units. 

The  Mayan  Codices 

"\I7e  deal  first  with  the  Mayan 
codices,  of  which  but  three  re- 
main: the  Dresden  Codex,  the  Tro- 
ano-Cortesianus,  and  the  Peresianus 
Codex.  The  deciphering  and  inter- 
preting thus  far  realized  on  these  in- 
dicate that  they  deal  principally  with 
astronomy,  chronology,  and  religion. 
Dr.  John  Teeple,  an  American 
astronomer,  has  been  the  outstand- 
ing student  of  th€  codices  in  their 
relationship  to  astronomy  and  has 
demonstrated  that  all  the  astronom- 
ical recordings,  deal  directly  or  indi- 
rectly with  the  calendrical  system. 
Those  who  deserve  mention  for  our 
understanding  of  the  chronological 
and  calendrical  part  of  the  codices 
are:  Ernst  Forstermann,  Charles  P. 


■■■■  :■■■■■ ::-  ■:■:■:■::■:':■:::■:■.";.:.:;.:  :,.:.:::.::■.■:-■-:■■■■-- ■■.■--■ 


VATICAN    B    CODEX 


unit,  360  for  the  second,  7,200  for 
the  third,  144,000  for  the  fourth. 
The  numerals  up  to  four  are  indi- 
cated by  dots,  each  five  by  a  bar. 
Thus  the  number  19  may  be  desig- 

Bowditch,"  and~  j7f.  "Goodman,"  all     nated  hY  three  bars  and  four  dots."1 

scholars  of  the  past  century  and  the 

early  years  of  the  present  century. 

Of  the  living  students,  we  should 

cite  the  works  of  Sylvanus  G.  Mor- 

ley  of  Carnegie  Institute  and  Her- 
man Beyer  of  Tulane  University. 

Mathematics  and  Astronomy 

HThe  above-mentioned  scholars  have 
revealed  to  us  a  people  whom  we 
must  acknowledge  as  the  pioneers 
and  leaders  of  their  time  in  mathe- 
matics and  calendrical  astronomy. 
Long  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  when 
the  Old  World  was  fumbling  with 
the  cumbersome  Roman  numeral 
system,  the  "Maya  of  Yucatan  had 
developed  a  method  of  writing  num- 
bers, of  adding  and  subtracting. 
They  had  also  invented  a  symbol 
for  zero  and  given  a  value  to  their 
numbers  according  to  position.  The  On  page  twelve  of  the  Dresden 
ascending  values  of  digits  in  their     Codex  we  see  several  examples  of 


writing  are  20  for  the  first  higher     the  number  13,  designated  by  two 


MEND0ZA  CODEX 


%.t 


r 


.■viSSsSiffli^x 


TL0TZIN   MAP 


bars  and  three  dots.  We  also  rec- 
ognize in  the  single-unit  hiero- 
glyphs bordered  by  a  heavy  black 
line  the  signs  of  the  twenty  days  of 
their  twenty-day  month.  The  double 
column  of  day-hieroglyphs  on  the 
upper  third  of  page  12  of  the  Dres- 
den Codex,  reading  from  left  to  right 
and  downward  are:  Ahau,  Oc,  Men, 
Ik,  Cimi,  Lamat,  and  Eznab.  Still 
other  day  signs  are  given  on  the  re- 
mainder of  the  page. 

Mythology  and  Religion 

"pOR  a  resume  of  the  mythology  and 
religion  of  the  Maya  I  quote  Dr. 
S.  G.  Morley,  the  patriarch  of  living 
Maya  scholars. 

In  closing  this  introduction,  nothing  could 
be  more  appropriate  than  to  call  attention 
once  more  to  the  supreme  importance  of 
religion  in  the  life  of  the  ancient  Maya. 
Religion  was  indeed  the  very  fountain- 
head  of  their  civilization,  and  on  its  rites  and 
observances  they  lavished  a  devotion  rarely 
equaled  in  the  annals  of  man.  To  its  great 
uplifting  force  was  due  the  conception  and 
evolution  of  the  hieroglyphic  writing  and 
calendar,  alike  the  invention  and  the  ex- 
clusive property  of  the  priesthood.  To  its 
need  for  sanctuary  may  be  attributed  the 
origin  of  Maya  architecture;  to  its  desire 
for  expression,  the  rise  of  Maya  sculpture. 
All  activities  reflected  its  powerful  influence 
and  all  were  more  or  less  dominated  by  its 
need  and  teachings.  In  short,  religion  was 
the  foundation  upon  which  the  structure  of 
Maya  civilization  was  reared.2 

Dr.  Paul  Shellhaus  is  the  one 
scholar  who  directed  his  research  in 
the  field  of  Mayan  religion.  He  is 
chiefly  responsible  for  the  classifica- 
tion of  the  gods  pictured  in  the  three 
Mayan  codices: 

On  page  seventy-four  of  the  codex 
we  have  Goddess  K,  or  the  Water 
Goddess.  She  is  characterized  by 
the  knotted  serpent  on  her  head  and 
claws  in  the  place  of  feet.  She  is 
the  personification  of  water  in  its 
(Continued  on  page  504) 

xFranz  Boaz,  Cultural  Anthropology. 
2S.  G.  Morley,  An  Introduction  to   the 
Study  of  Maya  Hieroglyphs. 

465 


THE  COMMON  SOURCE  OF 


Just  as  surely  as  we  live,  each  of 
us  at  a  future  day  shall  stand  in 
the  presence  of  the  Great  Judge 
to  give  account  of  the  life  we  have 
lived  while  in  mortality.  The  holy 
prophets  of  God  from  Adam's  day 
to  the  present  time  have  declared 
that  following  resurrection  we  shall 
all  be  held  accountable  for  our  deeds 
in  accordance  with  the  opportunities 
we  have  had  for  righteousness.1 

If  our  actions  have  been  good,  a 
compensation  of  happiness,  advance- 
ment, and  glory  is  the  result;  if  they 
have  been  evil,  misery,  shame,  and 
spiritual  death  close  in  upon  the  hu- 
man soul.  No  better  summary  of  this 
eternal  truth  has  been  given  by  mor- 
tal teachers  than  the  following  perti- 
nent statement  made  by  Apostle 
Paul: 

Be  not  deceived;  God  is  not  mocked:  for 
whatsoever  a  man  soweth  that  shall  he 
also  reap.  For  he  that  soweth  unto  his 
flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption;  but 
he  that  soweth  unto  the  Spirit  shall  of  the 
Spirit  reap  life  everlasting.2 

The  same  great  religious  leader 
warned  the  Christians  in  Rome  of 
the  destructive  nature  of  sin  in  the 
following  words: 

For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  must 
die;  but  if  by  the  spirit  ye  put  to  death  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live.  .  .  .  For 
the  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  free  gift 
of  God  is  eternal  life  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord.3 

It  is  true  that  character  is  built  and 
that  we  receive  rewards  and  punish- 
ments from  day  to  day  according  to 
our  diligence  in  obedience  to  eternal 
verities.  The  law  of  compensation 
operates  universally.  A  moral  order 
exists  which  is  just  as  exacting  as  the 
physical  order,  and  the  blessings 
received  in  each  realm  come  through 
obedience  to  the  laws  which  control 
those  orders.  God  revealed  to  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  that  rewards 
and  punishments  invariably  and 
automatically  follow  our  obedience 
or  disobedience  to  the  eternal  laws 
of  truth.  Quoting  from  the  revela- 
tion: 

There  is  a  law,  irrevocably  decreed  in 
heaven  before  the  foundations  of  this  world, 
upon  which  all  blessings  are  predicated — 
And   when  we  receive  any  blessing    from 

doctrine  and  Covenants,  Section  75:21-22;  Book 
of  Mormon,  2  Nephi  9:25-39;  Alma  29:5;  32:18-20; 
9:14-18,   23;  3   Nephi  27:23-27. 

2Galatians   6:7-8. 

^Romans    8:13;    6:23. 

466 


VII.   WE  SHALL  BE  JUDGED 

"fcvsLhij^  knsuL  AhaUL  bow  muL  sw&Juf  hmqusL 
AhaUL  jc#n$MA,  .  .  .  Aaifinq.:  JsuVl  %DfdL, 
jcuuL  qivsL  qltfuf^  to  him.  who  aHM/l  upotL 
ihsL  iPuwnsL,  fifv  &U£A.  anxL  swsl?l;  $Pl.  iPuL 
howc  d^  Ma  judqmsmt  ia  jcomsi. " 


BY 


MILTON  R.HUNTER,Ph.D. 

Associate,  L.  D.  S.  Institute  of 
Religion,.  Logan,  Utah 


God,  it  is  by  obedience  to  that  law  upon 
which  it  is  predicated.4 

The  decree — that  there  shall  be  a 
universal  judgment — has  gone  forth 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Father  and 
His  Only  Begotten  Son,  and  it  "shall 
not  return,"  but  must  be  fulfilled.5  In 
the  words  of  Apostle  Paul: 

We  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ.  .  .  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord, 
to  me  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every 
tongue  confess  to  God.6 

On  the  American  continent,  the 
prophet  Amulek  was  very  explicit 
and  detailed  in  his  teachings  on  the 
Judgment.  Some  of  his  doctrine  is 
as  follows: 

For  behold,  the  day  cometh  that  all  shall 
rise  from  the  dead  and  stand  before  God, 
and  be  judged  according  to  their  works.  .  . 

Now,  this  restoration  shall  come  to  all, 
both  old  and  young,  both  bond  and  free, 
both  male  and  female,  both  the  wicked  and 
righteous;  .  .  .  and  [they]  shall  be  brought 
and  be  arraigned  before  the  bar  of  Christ 
the  Son,  and  God  the  Father,  to  be  judged 
according  to  their  works,  whether  they  be 
good  or  whether  they  be  evil.7 

The  adjudication  will  be  perfectly 
just  and  fair,  "so  that  men  shall  say, 
Verily  there  is  a  reward  for  the 
righteous :  Verily  there  is  a  God  that 
judgeth  in  the  earth."8  In  the  words 
of  the  Psalmist,  "Jehovah  sitteth  as 
king  forever:  He  hath  prepared  his 
throne  for  judgment;  and  he  will 
judge  the  world  in  righteousness."" 
Again  it  is  written,  "And  the  heavens 

^Doctrine  and  Covenants,  Section   130:20-21;    132:5; 
88:34-47. 

BIsaiah  45:23;  Pearl  of  Great  Price,  Moses  5:59. 
'Romans   14:10. 

7Book   of    Mormon,    Alma    11:41-44;    Doctrine    and 
Covenants,  Section  29:30;  76:68,  73. 

8Psalms   58:11. 
"Ibid. 


— Doctrine  and  Covenants  88:104. 


shall  declare  his  righteousness;  for 
God  is  judge  himself."10 

The  God  who  is  the  principal 
judge  of  mankind  is  none  other  than 
Jesus  the  Christ.  He  works  in  har- 
mony with  the  other  members  of  the 
Trinity.    Quoting  Apostle  Peter: 

God  anointed  Jesus  of  Nazareth  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power.  .  ,  .  He 
[Jesus]  commanded  us  to  preach  unto  the 
people,  and  to  testify  that  it  is  he  which 
was  ordained  of  God  to  be  the  Judge  of 
quick  and  dead.11 

According  to  the  evangelist  John, 
before  the  Savior's  death  He  taught 
the  following  doctrine: 

The  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath 
committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son:  That 
all  men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as 
they  honour  the  Father.  .  .  .  For  as  the 
Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given 
to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself;  and  hath 
given  him  authority  to  execute  judgment 
also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  Man.13 

An  important  point  that  people 
usually  neglect  to  take  into  consider- 
ation is  the  fact  that  we  shall  be  held 
accountable  for  each  word  that  we 
speak  while  in  mortality.  Further- 
more, even  the  secret  thoughts  of 
our  hearts  will  rise  up  at  the  judg- 
ment day  to  condemn  or  to  honor  us. 
Alma  the  Younger,  speaking  to  the 
wicked  people  of  Ammonihah,  stated 
that  when  we  are  "brought  before 
the  bar  of  God  to  be  judged  accord- 
ing to  our  works  .  .  .  our  words  will 
condemn  us,  yea,  all  our  works  will 
condemn  us;  we  shall  not  be  found 
spotless;  and  our  thoughts  will  also 
condemn  us."13 

One  needs  only  to  turn  to  the  New 
Testament  to  find  verification  of 
this  Gospel  truth  in  the  teachings  of 
the  Man  of  Galilee  and  of  the  Apos- 
tle to  the  Gentiles.     Jesus  has  left 

™Ibid.,    50:6. 

HActa  10:38,  42. 

12John  5:22-23;  26-27     30;   Op   cil.,  Moses  6:56. 

18Book  of  Mormon,  Alma  12:12-14. 


RELIGIOUS  TRUTH 


mankind  with  no  excuse  for  not 
knowing  the  law  of  judgment.  He 
declared: 

I  say  unto  you  that  every  idle  word  that 
men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment.  For  by  thy 
words  thou  shaft  be  justified,  and  by  thy 
words  thou  shalt  be  condemned.1* 

For  there  is  nothing  covered,  that  shall 
not  be  revealed;  neither  hid,  that  shall  not 
be  known.  Therefore  whatsoever  ye  have 
spoken  in  darkness  shall  be  heard  in  the 
light;  and  that  which  ye  have  spoken  in  the 
ear  in  closets  shall  be  proclaimed  from  the 
house-tops.15 

Terrifying  as  these  statements 
may  sound  to  the  sinner,  they  are 
true,  "for  the  Lord  is  our  judge,  the 
Lord  is  our  lawgiver,  the  Lord  is  our 
King,"  and  He  has  proclaimed  these 
eternal  verities. 

Here  is  John  the  Revelator's  word- 
picture  of  the  Great  Judgment: 

And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him 
that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth 
and  the  heaven  fled  away;  and  there  was 
found  no  place  for  them.  And  I  saw  the 
dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God; 
and  the  books  were  opened:  and  another 
book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of 
life:  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those 
things  which  were  written  in  the  books, 
according  to  their  works.  .  .  .  And  whoso- 
ever was  not  found  written  in  the  book  of 
life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.16 

Not  only  did  the  worshipers  of 
Jehovah  believe  such  a  doctrine,  but 
practically  all  the  important  religions 
of  antiquity  taught  a  similar  con- 
cept, Confucianism  being  a  possible 
exception.  This  doctrine  was  a  vital 
part  of  ancient  paganism.  Like  a 
golden  thread  of  truth  the  concept 
of  a  final  judgment  connected  all  im- 
portant religious  devotees  with  that 
divine  revelation  given  by  the  Lord 
to  His  holy  prophets. 

As  early  as  several  hundred  years 
B.  C,  in  far-off  India  the  theory  was 
taught  that  "a  great  and  final  day 
of  judgment"  was  inevitable.  Krish- 
na, a  crucified  "Savior-god,"  was  to 
be  the  "Judge  of  the  dead."17  His 
followers  believed  that  he  would  re- 
ward or  punish  them  according  to 
the  lives  they  had  lived  while  in 
mortality. 

From  the  earliest  times  the  Egyptians  ap- 
pear to  have  believed  firmly  that  the  right- 
eous would  be  rewarded  in  the  Other 
World,  and  the  wicked  punished.18 

[Osiris  was]  "Lord  of  the  Underworld 
and  Ruler  of  the  Dead."  Here  he  presided 
at  the  bar  of  judgment  and  assigned  to  the 

"Matthew  12:36-37;   Romans  2:16. 

15Luke   12:2-3. 

laRevelation   20:11-15. 

17Kersey  Greves,  The  World's  Sixteen  Crucified 
Saviors,  262-269;  John  P.  Jones.  India's  Problem, 
Krishna  or  Christ,  75-76. 

18  A  Guide  to  the  Egyptian  Collections  in  the  British 
Museum,  142. 


souls  of  the  departed  their  proper  reward 
for  virtue  or  punishment  for  sin.18 

In  the  Judgment  Hall  of  Osiris,  sat  the 
great  judge  of  the  dead.  The  soul  of  every 
man  was  brought  there  and  weighed  in  the 
"Great  Balance"  in  his  presence,  by  Thoth, 
the  scribe  of  the  gods.  The  soul  was  rep- 
resented by  the  heart,  and  was  weighed 
against  the  feather,  symbolic  of  righteous- 
ness. If  the  heart  failed  to  counterbalance 
the  feather  it  was  cast  to  an  animal  monster 
Am-mit,  i.  e.,  "Eater  of  the  Dead,"  which 
was  part  crocodile,  part  lion,  and  part 
hippopotamus.  When  the  heart  and  the 
feather  balanced  exactly  Thoth  announced 
the  fact  to  the  gods  of  his  company,  and 
then  the  soul  of  the  deceased  was  taken  by 
Horus  into  the  presence  of  Osiris,  who  re- 
warded him  according  to  his  deserts.20 


The  Zoroastrian  faith  of  ancient 

Persia  mantained  that  after  death 

the   "Conscience,   Daena,"   accuses 

man  of  the  wrong  he  has  done  while 

in  mortality.     In  the  words  of  E. 

Washburn  Hopkins: 

His  conscience  meets  him  on  the  third 
day  after  death,  in  the  form  of  a  fair  maid 
or  a  foul  hag,  and  as  his  conscience  accuses 
or  acquits  him,  so  he  fares  forth  into  the 
world  of  spirits,  accompanied  by  pleasant 
or  unpleasant  surroundings,  till  the  soul's 
deeds  are  weighed  in  the  balance  and  it  is 
sent  to  heaven  or  hell  or  purgatory ,a 

At  the  judgment  of  each  individual 
at  death,  "man's  destiny  was  deter- 
mined by  his  religion,  and  by  his 
thoughts,  words,  and  deeds  in  this 

life."22 

T^oroastrianism  in  its  altered  form 
arrived  in  Rome  66  B.  C.  under 
the  name  of  Mithraism.  Mithra  had 
been  elevated  to  the  position  of  the 
god  who  sat  upon  a  throne  and 
judged  the  souls  of  the  deceased.  If 
they  were  stained  with  impure  lives, 
Ahriman  (the  devil)  or  his  emis- 
saries dragged  them  down  to  the 
infernal  depths;   but  if   they  were 

"Plutarch,  De  hide  et  Osiride,  79;  Harold  Wil- 
loughby.  Pagan  Regeneration,  170. 

20A  Guide  ....  op.  cit.,   HO-142. 

21E.  Washburn  Hopkins,  The  History  of  Religions, 
393. 

22George  Foot  Moore,  History  of  Religions,  II,  55; 
I,  375.  398  ff;  George  A.  Barton,  The  Religions  of  the 
World,    135-137. 


found  worthy  they  were  borne  aloft 
to  the  regions  of  the  heavens,83 

One  of  the  cardinal  concepts  of 
the  other  Mystery  Religions — 
strong  pagan  rivals  of  Christianity 
—was  that  following  death  came  a 
judgment  day  at  which  men  were 
held  responsible  for  their  lives.  Ac- 
cording to  the  teachings  of  the 
Eleusinian  cult,  the  deceased  de- 
scended into  Hades  where  Pluto  sat 
upon  his  throne  and  directed  activ- 
ities there.  Persephone,  the  queen 
of  the  underworld,  was  the  goddess 
of  death. 

Sitting  beside  Pluto,  she  directs  the 
Furies,  and,  like  her  husband,  is  cruel, 
unyielding,  inimical  to  youth  and  life  and 
hope.24 

Speaking  of  Demeter,  the  goddess 
mother  of  the  Eleusinian  Mysteries, 
and  of  Persephone  and  Pluto,  Lewis 
R.  Farnell  said: 

These  deities,  the  mother  and  the  daugh- 
ter and  the  dark  god  in  the  background, 
were  the  powers  that  governed  the  world 
beyond  the  grave:  those  who  had  won  their 
friendship  by  initiation  in  this  life  would  by 
the  simple  logic  of  faith  regard  themselves 
as  certain  to  win  blessing  at  their  hands 
in  the  next.  And  this,  as  far  as  we  can 
discern,  was  the  ground  on  which  flourished 
the  Eleusinian  hope.25 

Assisting  these  major  deities  of  the 
underworld  were  minor  gods.  Ac- 
cording to  Gayley: 

Before  the  judges  of  the  lower  worlds- 
Minos,  Aeacus,  and  Rhadamanthus— the 
souls  of  the  dead  were  brought  to  trial. 
The  condemned  were  assigned  to  regions 
where  all  manner  of  torment  awaited  them 
at  the  hands  of  monsters  dire — the  fifty- 
headed  Hydra  and  the  avenging  Furies.2" 

The  main  effort  of  the  Orphic 
pagan  worshiper  was  to  free  him- 
self from  the  wheel  of  successive  re- 
incarnation, as  the  theory  of  trans- 
migration of  the  soul  was  one  of  the 
main  beliefs  of  that  religion.  Fol- 
lowing a  life  of  rigid  Orphic  asceti- 
cism and  discipline,  the  post-mortal 
cult  member  drank  of  the  waters  of 
the  "Lake  of  Memory,"  situated  at 
the  left  of  the  House  of  Hades.  After 
drinking  he  was  able  to  remember 
the  post-mortem  ritual  and  rules  of 
conduct  when  he  appeared  before 
Persephone  to  be  judged.  This  re- 
sulted in  a  favorable  judgment  which 
broke  the  cycle  of  reincarnations.27 

(Concluded  on  page  504) 

^Franz  Cumont,  The  Mysteries  o[  Mithra;  Cumont, 
Oriental  Religions  in  Roman  Paganism  135-161; 
Willoughby,  op.  cit,.  H3-168;  Hopkins,  op.  cit.,  386. 

^Charles  M.  Gayley,  Classic  Myths,  46-54;  Wil- 
loughby, op.  cit.,  36-37. 

^Louis  R.  Farnell,  Cults  of  the  Greek  States,  111, 
197. 

^Gayley,  op.  cit.,  51. 

^Willoughby     op.   cit.,   90-107. 

467 


Fifteen  miles 


jhMijfa.  MEXICAN  DESERT 

to  GREENLAND 


A 


startling  story  of  plant 
Variety  in  a  Limited  Area. 


BY 

GRANVILLE  OLESON 


REACHING    THEIR    HEADS    HIGH     ABOVE 
THEIR  NEIGHBORS 


^vast  desert  spotted  with  sage 
and  cactus,  a  region  forgot- 
ten by  Providence  in  the 
original  earth  plan  but  as  an  after- 
thought made  habitable  by  a  few 
sparkling  canyon  streams  which  un- 
der the  ingenious  hand  of  man  have 
made  possible  a  few  isolated  oases 
in  the  midst  of  barren  wastes:  this 
may  be  the  casual  visitor's  picture 
of  Utah.  But  a  brief  excursion  into 
a  convenient  canyon  will  reveal  a 
diversity  of  living  things.  In  fact, 
botanists  assert  that  there  is  scarce- 
ly another  region  in  the  entire 
United  States  which  contains  such  a 
great  variety  of  life  forms  as  Utah. 
The  chief  factors  of  life  distribu- 
tion are  climatic,  with  altitude,  lati- 
tude, air  movement,  and  humid- 
ity as  the  leading  determinants. 
Roughly,  a  one  thousand-foot  rise 
in  altitude  is  equal  to  a  three-de- 
gree, or  approximately  a  two  hun- 
dred-mile, northward  change  in  lati- 
tude. Thus  the  difference  in  altitude 
between  the  Old  Mill  at  the  mouth 
of  Big  Cottonwood  Canyon  and 
Brighton  at  its  head  corresponds  to 
a  one-thousand-  or  twelve-hundred- 
mile  journey  northward,  which 
would  take  one  near  the  borders  of 
Greenland  or  Alaska  or  into  the 
northern  half  of  Hudson  Bay.  Cli- 
matic conditions  in  the  foot"hills  at 
the  mouth  of  the  canyon  are  com- 
parable to  the  semi-desert  region 
centering  in  Northern  Mexico.  This 
adds  another  eight  hundred  or  one 
thousand  miles  to  the  climatic  range 
468 


P^S  THE  M.  I.  A.  Summer 
program  gains  momentum, 
we  offer  here  a  stimulating 
account  o[  things  to  see  in 
nature,  as  we  [ace  the  out-of- 
doors  with  [amities  and  [riends. 


of  the  fifteen-mile  drive  through 
Big  Cottonwood.  Thus,  for  botan- 
ical distribution,  a  trip  to  Brighton 
- — a  safe  hour's  drive  from  Salt  Lake 
City — assumes  the  botanical  breadth 
of  a  two  thousand-mile  journey 
from  Old  Mexico  to  Labrador. 

Beginning  near  the  mouth  of  the 
canyon  and  looking  towards  the 
northeast,  the  scanty  vegetation  to 
be  seen  upon  the  foothills  is  said  to 
belong  to  the  Sonoran  life  zone,  be- 
cause the  aridity  and  other  climatic 
factors  are  similar  to  the  region  cen- 
tering in  the  state  of  Sonera  in 
Northern  Mexico  and  extending 
into  lower  California,  New  Mexico, 
and  Arizona.  The  region,  character- 
ized by  ruggedness,  has  produced  a 
rugged  type  of  life,  for  here  are 
patches  of  scrub  oak  interspersed 
with  sage  and  prickly  pear,  with  an 
occasional  picturesque  juniper  and 
western  sumac,  and  near  the  road- 
side is  a  clump  of  pungent  squaw- 
bush.  But  beware  of  the  scattered 
clumps  of  treacherous  poison  ivy 
with  its  attractive  bright  green 
leaves  and  handsome  white  berries! 

On  the  stream  side,  a  half  turn  to 
the  southwest,  is  an  entirely  different 
type  of  vegetation,  for  this  is  an- 
other life  zone.  It  is  called  the  Tran- 
sition, because  it  is  the  zone  of 
change  from  the  harsh  Sonoran  to 
a  more  inviting  zone  on  the  north. 
The  climate  is  noticeably  cooler  and 
more  humid — small  wonder  that  the 
vegetation  is  distinctly  different. 
Most  conspicuous  among  the  trees 


are  the  shaggy,  narrow-leaf  cotton- 
wood  for  which  the  canyon  was 
named  and  the  somewhat  more 
graceful  boxelder;  here  are  groups 
of  western  hawthorne,  or  haw  ap- 
ples, and  chokecherries  with  their 
half-ripe  fruit;  there,  nearer  the 
stream's  edge,  are  some  red-barked 
dogwood,  and  just  behind  them  is  a 
clump  of  beautiful  wild  rose  in 
flower.  Along  the  roadside  appear 
strikingly  beautiful  groves  of  big- 
tooth  maple,  one  of  the  two  western 
native  maples,  and  nearer  the  creek 
is  a  mixture  of  red  river  birch  and 
alder  with  scatterings  of  elderberry 
and  wild  rose;  and  there  where  the 
stream  has  deposited  considerable 
silt  is  a  mass  of  sand-bar  willows. 
In  the  protecting  shade  of  the  maple 
groves  can  frequently  be  seen  a  low- 
growing  holly-like  plant,  with 
unique  purple  fruits;  this  is  the  de- 
lightful Oregon  grape  which  makes 
such  attractive  Christmas  wreaths 
because  of  its  semi-evergreen  nature. 
The  berries  are  edible,  puckery,  rich 


UPPER  BRANCH  WITH  PENDULOUS  CONES- 
DOUGLAS  FIR.  LOWER  BRANCH  WITH  UP- 
RIGHT  CONES— TRUE  FIR.  THEIR  CONES 
ARE  PRODUCED  UPRIGHT  LIKE  CANDLESTICKS. 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


in  pectin,  and  make  delicious  jelly. 
Even  at  this  point  in  the  canyon, 
where  the  vegetation  on  the  north 
slope  and  stream  side  is  distinctly 
Upper  Transition,  there  is  a  marked 
contrast  on  the  south  slope,  for  there 
the  junipers,  scrub  oak,  and  sage 
clearly  stamp  the  region  as  Upper 
Sonoran. 

A  few  miles  farther  up  the  can- 
yon, as  the  road  gets  steeper,  the  air 
cooler,  and  the  growth  heavier, 
some  stately  evergreen  trees  come 
into  view,  reaching  their  heads  high 
above  their  neighbors.  These  indi- 
cate the  lower  limit  of  the  Canadian 
life  zone,  so  called  from  its  resem- 
blance to  the  great  North  Woods  of 
Eastern  North  America.  By  many 
people  these  trees  would  be  called 
pines.  While  they  belong  to  the  pine 
family  as  do  all  the  cone-bearing 
evergreens,  the  dark  green  one  with 
persistent  dry  cones  hanging  pen- 
dulously  is  the  valuable  Douglas  fir 
of  western  United  States.  How  de- 
ceiving are  these  common  names,  for 
this  is  not  a  true  fir  at  all  but  a  sole 
member  of  a  distinct  genus  called 
Pseudotsaga,  which  means  false 
hemlock.  They  can  be  identified  by 
their  pendulous  dry  cones,  on  each 
scale  of  which  is  a  small,  three- 
tongued  appendage.  The  silvery- 
green  specimen  with  the  light-green 
bark  is  a  true  fir,  Abies  concotor, 
known  also  as  black  balsam.  The 
balsam  firs  have  little  pockets  of 
balsam  under  the  outer  bark  which 
one  can  puncture  with  the  thumb 
nail;  the  yellowish  sticky  substance 
which  exudes  is  the  valuable  bal- 
sam of  commerce. 

T^he  peculiar  thing  about  these 
true  firs  is  their  rhythmic  pro- 
duction of  cones,  which  is  one  of 
the  wonders  of  nature.  It  requires 
two  years  to  mature  their  cones  and 


HARDY  INDEED  MUST  BE  THESE  STURDY  PATRI- 
ARCHS FROM  THEIR  CENTURIES  OF  BATTLE 
AGAINST  THE  ELEMENTS. 


there  are  never  one-year-old  cones 
and  two-year-old  cones  on  a  tree 
at  any  time;  not  even  on  all  trees 
collectively  are  there  two  ages  of 
cones,  for  cones  are  produced  only 
in  even  years,  as  1940  and  1942. 
One  of  the  mysteries  of  nature  is 
how  all  the  trees  know  when  the 
year  is  even,  or  how  they  got  into 
this  strange  rhythm.  Their  cones 
are  produced  upright  like  candle- 
sticks instead  of  pendulous  as  on 
the  Douglas  fir. 

So  the  pine  grove  hasn't  a  true 
pine  in  it!  But  wait;  over  there  is 
a  different-looking,  medium-green 
individual  towering  above  its  associ- 
ates; its  needles  are  in  bunches  of 
five  enclosed  at  the  base  by  a  sheath. 
This  is  a  true  pine  known  as  west- 
ern white  pine  or  Limber  pine  (Pin- 
as  flexilis).  All  true  pines  can  be 
distinguished  from  other  members 
of  the  pine  family  by  this  sheath  at 
the  base  of  the  needles,  usually  en- 
closing from  two  to  five  needles 
which,  if  held  firmly  together,  fit 
against  each  other  like  the  pieces 
of  a  pie  and  in  aggregate  make  a 
complete  cylinder.  There  is  one  ex- 
ception, a  pinion  or  nut  pine,  Pinus 
monophyllat  which  has  a  single 
needle  in  its  sheath,  nature  evident- 
ly having  forgotten  to  split  it  up  into 
parts. 


mm 

JBllll 


ALPINE  MEADOW  IN  HUDSONIAN  FOREST- 
LOWER  BRIGHTON  PICNIC  AREA.  ONE  OF  NA- 
TURE'S MOST  INTERESTING  AND  DELIGHTFUL 
REGIONS:     AN  ARCTIC-ALPINE  MEADOW. 

A  few  miles  farther  on,  as  the 
grade  gets  steeper,  there  appear 
some  new  types  of  evergreen  trees. 
The  beautiful  short-needled  ones 
with  the  somewhat  drooping  branch- 
es, ranging  from  blue-green  to  a 
deep-green  color,  are  characteristic 
Engelmann's  spruce  (Picea  engel- 
manni ) ;  their  long-needled  neighbors 
with  the  dark-colored  bark  are  an- 
other true  fir,  Alpine  fir  or  Abies  la- 
siocarpa,  known  also  as  white  bal- 
sam, for  here  are  the  same  little 
pockets  of  balsam  under  the  bark. 
The  presence  of  these  two  species 
indicates  that  this  is  the  Hudsonian 
zone — named  for  its  resemblance  to 
the  great  region  surrounding  Hud- 
son Bay.  No  wonder  the  air  is  chilly! 

On  the  less  steep  slopes  are  great 
groves  of  poetic  quaking  aspen  with 
their  attractive  light-green,  rustling 
leaves.  These  are  forerunners  of 
evergreen  forests,  for  among  them 
are  numerous  Engelmann's  spruce 
and  Alpine  fir  seedlings  thriving  in 
their  protecting  shade.  In  a  few  years 
the  aspens  will  obligingly  die  out  and 
leave  the  field  to  the  evergreens, 
which  will  then  be  sun-hardy  and 
need  no  protection. 

About  three  miles  beyond  the 
recreational  area  called  "The 
Spruces,"  the  canyon  widens  into  a 
comparatively  level  region  known  as 
Giles  Flat.  A  little  excursion  on 
foot  into  this  woodland  will  reveal 
many  hidden  things  of  nature.  The 
trail  is  closed  in  on  all  sides  by  typ- 
ically Hudsonian  forest  of  magnifi- 
cent spruce  and  fir  interspersed 
with  quaking  aspen.  Here  and  there 
are  scattered  many  of  the  more 
adaptable  shrubs  from  the  zones  be- 
low, but  their  development  is  much 
retarded;  those  which  previously 
were  seen  in  fruit  are  here  just  com- 
ing into  blossom. 

The  path  leads  into  an  opening 

(Continued  on  page  502) 

469 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,     AUGUST,    1940 


JJvl 

SAFETY 
CHALLENGE 

By  D.  A.  SKEEN 

Chairman,  Motor  Vehicle  Administration 
Committee,  Utah  Traffic  Safety  Council 


Recently  one   of   the   outstanding 
newspapers  of  the  nation,  in  its 
editorial  section,  printed  the  fol- 
lowing : 

One  thing,  however,  is  certain  and  that  is 
that  public  safety  is  the  first  responsibility 
of  government,  both  local  and  state.  Death 
in  traffic  represents  a  wasteful  economic 
loss  in  human  resources. 

This  editorial  was  doubtless  prompt- 
ed by  a  report  of  the  National  Safety 
Council  to  the  effect  that  annually 
32,000  persons  lose  their  lives  through 
accidents  on  the  highways  of  the  United 
States  and  in  addition  to  this  traffic 
toll,  1,150,000  persons  are  injured 
annually  in  traffic  accidents,  and  further, 
the  economic  loss  through  traffic  acci- 
dents annually  is  one  and  one-half 
billion  dollars. 

It  is  interesting  to  contemplate  what 
the  reaction  would  be  to  this  report  if 
the  citizens  of  the  United  States  were 
attacked  by  some  outside  force  or 
agency  and  the  attack  should  produce 
this  same  result.  No  one  can  feel  that 
such  destruction  would  be  passed  as 
unavoidable. 

We  often  dispose  of  criticism  on  our 
mode  of  life  and  activity  by  simply 
characterizing  it  as  due  to  the  rush  and 
hurry  to  get  there,  as  the  characteristic 
American  way  of  doing  things. 

In  the  face  of  this  terrible  toll  of 
life  and  the  incident  suffering  and 
economic  loss,  we  can  no  longer  stop  at 
this  explanation. 

It  was  at  first  thought,  as  is  too  often 
the  case  when  any  public  ill  is  first 
recognized,  that  simply  to  pass  a  law 
would  solve  the  problem.  This  has 
been  done  and  done  until  we  have  a 
maze  of  traffic  laws,  passed  by  every 
law-making  group  in  the  various  states. 
These  enactments  are  often  conflicting 
and  confusing  and  irritating  to  the  pub- 
lic to  the  extent  that  they  provoke  dis- 
regard and  unintentional  violation  and 
disrespect  for  law  and  order  generally. 

For  too  long  a  time  we  have  empha- 
sized criminal  prosecutions  as  the  ef- 
fective means  of  preventing  traffic  ac- 
cidents. In  this  we  now  recognize 
that  we  have  been  working  backwards. 

The  subject  of  enforcement  is  of  vital 
importance  and  has  many  aspects. 
Fundamental  in  this  is  the  support  and 
confidence  of  the  public,  first  in  the 
470 


officers  and  second  in  the  courts.  Every 
patrol  or  enforcement  officer,  while 
firm,  should  be  confidence-inspiring 
toward  the  violator. 

His  purpose  should  be  to  recognize 
that  the  offense  was  unintentional 
though  the  result  of  a  careless  or  even 
reckless  act,  and  that  if  the  offender  is 
given  to  understand  that  it  is  the  pur- 
pose of  the  law,  through  the  officer,  to 
help  prevent  the  recurrence  of  the  vio- 
lation rather  than  merely  punish  and 
collect  a  fine,  cooperation  is  more  likely 
to  be  had.  This  is  an  educational  work 
which  an  enforcement  officer  can  and 
should  do. 

In  considering  the  problem  of  high- 
way safety  and  the  fundamentals  of 
education  in  its  solution,  there  is  the 
ever-present  human  element  to  reckon 
with. 

Automobile  engineering  has  provided 
a  safe  vehicle.  A  good  automobile 
standing  still  and  without  a  driver  is 
harmless.  The  vital  factor  in  safety, 
then,  is  the  human  factor. 

In  fully  meeting  the  challenge  of  the 
human  factor  we  must  know  the  limi- 
tations of  the  individuals,  both  from  the 
point  of  view  of  determining  whether  a 
license  should  be  issued  at  all  and  what 
limitations  should  be  placed  upon  the 
driver,  and  what,  if  any,  educational 
work  can  be  done  to  qualify  the  driver. 
At  the  outset  the  license  went  to  the 
individual  name  upon  payment  of  the 
fee.  Physical  and  mental  factors  were 
considered  only  slightly.  Mental  quali- 
fications of  the  applicant  were  not  of 
great  concern.  In  a  safety  plan  the 
rigid  examination  of  each  applicant 
physically,  mentally,  and  morally,  with 
a  permanent  record  preserved,  before 
a  license  is  issued,  should  provide  the 
proper  precaution.  Then,  as  a  part  of 
an  educational  and  supervisory  cam- 
paign, re-check  on  a  basis  of  this  in- 
formation should  be  provided  for. 

As  a  part  of  the  educational  and 
supervisory  program  contemplated, 
there  should  be  included  a  plan  to  re- 
cord the  performance  of  every  driver 
on  permanent  records  available  to 
every  enforcement  officer   and  court. 

Most  traffic  accidents  are  considered 
to  be  the  result  of  lack  of  proper  at- 
tention at  the  proper  time.  A  traffic 
expert  has  emphasized  the  importance 
of  such  inattention  as  follows: 

When  you  are  driving  along  at  forty 
miles  an  hour,  which  is  a  reasonable  speed 
in  the  country,  you  are  clipping  off  a  mile 
every  minute  and  a  half.  But  let's  reduce 
that  mile  to  feet,  and  that  minute  and  a  half 
to  seconds.  It's  a  simple  problem,  but  the 
result  is  rather  startling.  At  that  speed,  in 
the  time  it  takes  you  to  say  "tick  tock,"  your 
car  travels  fifty-nine  feet.  Now  plenty 
could  happen  in  a  distance  of  fifty-nine  feet: 
you  could  be  off  the  road  and  into  a  ditch, 
or  jammed  up  against  a  telephone  pole  in 
that  distance  alone,  if  you  should  happen  to 
hit  a  bad  hole  in  the  pavement. 

To  reduce  the  traffic  toll,  we  must 
prepare  ourselves  and  understand  the 
problem  before,  rather  than  merely 
check  up  after,  the  accident. 


Sisimsumbohini^— 

BENJAMIN 
R.  BIRCHALL 

By  William  Mulder 

No  headline  has  ever  announced 
anything  that  Benjamin  R.  Birch- 
all  has  done.  He  would  be  the 
last  person  in  the  world  to  want  such 
publicity.  Like  the  thousands  of  unsung 
men  and  women  who  pay  lifelong  de- 
votion to  a  good  cause,  he  regards  as 
highest  praise  the  words  sincerely 
spoken,  "Well  done,  thou  good  and 
faithful  servant."  From  his  native  Eng- 
land comes  a  record  of  service  typical 
of  Latter-day  Saints  honest  in  heart, 
whose  work  and  whose  glory  have  been 
the  nameless  performance  of  the  Lord's 
work,  often  at  times  and  in  places  least 
convenient  to  them. 

In  September  of  1937,  at  the  pro- 
verbial age  of  three-score  and  ten, 
Elder  Birchall,  who  was  ordained  a 
High  Priest  during  Elder  John  A.  Widt- 
soe's  presidency  of  the  European  Mis- 
sion, completed  eighteen  years  as  pres- 
ident of  the  Irish  Free  State  District  in 
the  British  Mission.  He  withdrew  at 
the  same  time  from  active  business  and 
returned  to  England.  His  retirement 
marked  the  close  of  a  forty-one-year 
cycle  of  intense  activity  in  the  Church, 
a  period  which  he  and  Sister  Birchall 
stored  with  rich  treasure. 

Statistically  the  memory  of  those 
days  can  be  recalled  something  like 
this:  baptized  ninety-seven  people; 
blessed  forty  children;  performed  one 
hundred  ordinations  to  the  Priesthood; 
attended  and  officiated  at  over  fifty 
funerals;  performed  marriages;  traveled 
extensively,  visiting  and  addressing 
every  district  in  the  British  Mission. 
Brother  and  Sister  Birchall  recall  hav- 
ing entertained  eight  of  the  General  Au- 
thorities in  their  home,  which  was  often 
the  scene  of  Priesthood  and  other 
branch  meetings,  and  which  offered 
open-house  hospitality  at  every  con- 
ference. 

Despite  their  advanced  age,  Brother 
and  Sister  Birchall  look  forward  to  an 
opportunity  to  visit  the  House  of  the 
Lord,  the  crowning  achievement  of 
lives  which  have  endeavored  to  "trust 
in  the  Lord  and  do  good." 


By  GILBERT  H.  ANDREWS 


J. 


was 


ohn  Campbell 
tidying  up  his  desk  preparatory  to 
leaving  the  schoolhouse  on  Thurs- 
day night  when  a  face  framed  by 
neatly  waved,  blond  hair  appeared 
in  the  doorway. 

"Is  the  esteemed  principal  of  the 
Central  school  at  leisure?"  said  a 
laughing  voice. 

"He  is,"  exclaimed  John,  jumping 
up.  "Come  in,  Gwen.  Maybe  he 
can  spare  you  five  minutes." 

"I  was  just  wondering,"  the  young 
lady  took  a  seat  in  front  of  him,  "if 
you  were  going  to  be  busy  Sunday? 
We're  planning  a  hike  up  Mount 
Call.  That  is,  we're  going  to  take 
cars  as  far  as  we  can  and  hike  the 
rest  of  the  way  to  the  lookout.  We 
can  take  lunch  at  the  Ranger's  cabin 
and  come  back  in  the  evening.  Want 
to  come?" 

"Say,  that  sounds  swell — but — " 

"Buts,  eh?  Of  course  if  you've 
got  another  date.  We  just  thought 
you  might  like  to  go."  She  half  rose 
from  her  seat. 

"Sit  down,  sit  down,"  ordered 
John.  "It  isn't  another  engagement 
I  assure  you,  but  I  was  just  thinking 
that  it  was  Sunday,  and — " 

"Of  course  it  is,  silly.  That's  the 
reason  we're  going.  Any  other  time 
some  of  the  crowd  will  be  busy.  Be- 
sides, what'll  we  do  if  we  don't  go 
on  hikes  or  somewhere  else?" 

"Well,  there's  Sunday  School  and 
meeting,"  said  John.  Somehow  he 
laughed  half  apologetically  as  he 
said  it. 

"Oh,  oh!  A  close  relative  of 
Samuel  and  Daniel  I  take  it?"  teased 
the  charming  girl  before  him.  "We 
can  go  to  church  any  time,  John. 
When  it's  cold,  for  instance.  Be- 
sides, none  of  the  crowd  go  to  church 
when  it's  hot,  unless  they  haven't 
anywhere  else  to  go." 

John  didn't  answer.  He  had  vivid 
memories  of  parents  frowning  on 
Sunday  Easter  hikes  and  Sunday 
swimming  parties.  And  he  had  de- 
livered several  sermons  on  the  sub- 
ject himself  as  a  missionary. 

But  after  all,  this  new  life  was 
different.  He  must  be  friendly  with 
everyone.  And  then  there  was  this 
young  lady  and  the  rest  of  her  crowd 
who  had  welcomed  him  as  one  of 
them  the  day  he  arrived  in  town. 
He  did  owe  something  to  these 
young  folk. 

"O.  K."  said  John.  "I'll  go,  and 
thanks  a  lot  for  inviting  me." 

"Don't  forget  to  bring  your 
kodak,"  she  called  back.    "There  are 


Jhs, 

BETTER 
THE  DAY 


A  SHORT 
SHORT 
STORY 


I 


N  WHICH  THE  SUNDAY  PROB- 
LEM LOOMS  INTO  VIEW. 


some  swell  views.  I'll  bring  lunch  for 
both  of  us." 

John  locked  the  schoolhouse  and 
started  down  the  street  toward  his 
boarding-house.  There  was  that 
Sunday  School  class  the  superin- 
tendent had  given  him  when  he  first 
came.  He'd  been  trying  to  encour- 
age some  negligent  ones  to  come  out. 
He  felt  he'd  really  accomplished 
something  the  last  few  Sundays.  At 
least  three  of  the  boys  had  told  him 
how  they  had  liked  his  lesson  last 
week.  He'd  have  to  get  someone 
else  to  take  his  class  for  just  this 
one  time.  Maybe  one  of  the  other 
teachers  would.  There  was  the 
widow  who  taught  the  fourth  and 
fifth  grades.  She  wouldn't  be  going 
anywhere.    She  had  two  children. 

It  was  a  happy,  carefree 
crowd  that  called  for  John  Sunday 
morning  just  before  ten.  He  tried 
not  to  notice  the  people  gathering  in 
front  of  the  ward  chapel  as  they 
drove  by.  He  did  see  some  of  the 
boys  in  his  Sunday  School  class 
frolicking  on  the  lawn.  Well,  they 
would  be  in  good  hands.  Mrs. 
Pierce  was  a  fine  teacher. 

Chatting  gaily,  singing  snatches 
of  popular  songs,  the  crowd  was 
soon  at  the  point  where  they  parked 
the  two  cars  and  started  up  the  steep 
trail  on  foot.  An  hour  later  they 
sat  down  to  rest  and  to  admire  the 
beautiful  mountain  lake  surrounded 
by  great  pines.  Its  clear  waters  re- 
flected the  overhead  sun  and  the 
surrounding  trees. 

"Wish  you'd  gone  to  Sunday 
School?"  Gwen,  who  was  sitting  by 
John  said,  as  she  laid  a  hand  on  his 
arm. 

"I  should  say  not,"  he  exclaimed, 
but  to  him  it  seemed  that  his  voice 
did  not  carry  conviction.  "I'm  hav- 
ing the  time  of  my  life." 

"You're  pretty  quiet  about  it  all," 
she  said.  He  made  no  reply.  When 
they  started  on  up  the  trail,  he  tried 


"OH,  OH!  A  CLOSE  RELATIVE  OF 
SAMUEL  AND  DANIEL  I  TAKE  IT?" 
TEASED  THE  CHARMING  GIRL  BEFORE 
HIM. 


hard  to  be  more  jolly,  laughing  and 
talking  with  the  rest. 

"That's  better,"  she  said  later 
when  they  were  alone  together  a 
moment. 

It  was  just  noon  when  they 
reached  the  ranger's  cabin  and  the 
lookout  tower  that  was  even  higher 
than  the  surrounding  trees.  They 
were  all  too  tired  and  hungry  to  do 
anything  but  go  directly  to  the  cabin 
where  the  man  in  charge  made  them 
welcome. 

But  after  lunch,  in  groups  of  two 
and  more,  they  climbed  the  sixty- 
foot  tower  to  enjoy  the  view  of  the 
surrounding  country.  They  took 
pictures  of  each  other  on  the  tower, 
of  different  places,  and  of  the  cabin. 
Some  tried  to  get  pictures  of  the  little 
town  far  away  below  in  the  valley. 
And  thus  the  day  passed — -but  some- 
how John  felt  relieved  when  they 
started  home. 

li-ELLO,  Mr.  Campbell." 

John  turned  to  see  Harry  Layton, 
one  of  his  Sunday  School  boys, 
standing  just  beyond  the  fence. 

"Hello,  Harry.  How  did  Sunday 
School  go  this  morning?"  he  felt 
compelled  to  ask. 

"Not   so   hot,"   replied   the  boy. 

"Well,  I'll  be  back  next  Sunday 
and — ■" 

"Us  fellers  won't  be  there  next 
Sunday.  We're  gonna  take  a  hike 
up  Mount  Call." 

John  was  glad  that  the  dusk  hid 
the  expression  on  his  face. 

"Tell  you  what,  Harry."  He 
came  closer.  "Tomorrow  after  school 
let's  plan  some  sort  of  a  hike  for  the 
whole  room  next  Saturday.  We  can 
go  up  the  mountain  if  you  wish.  I'd 
like  to  have  you  fellows  at  Sunday 
School  next  time  because  I've  got 
something  special  planned  for  you." 

471 


JJul  QnApihsxL  (fbwl&imL  i>^  ihjL 


VI. 

r\iD  Joseph  Smith  completely  revise 
the  Bible  or  not?  The  evidence 
is  divided  and  requires  careful 
analysis.  On  the  one  hand  we  have 
the  following: 

( 1 )  The  Prophet  Joseph  in  his 
journal  recorded: 

I  completed  the  translation  and  review 
of  the  New  Testament,  on  the  2nd  of 
February,  1833,  and  sealed  it  up,  no  more 
to  be  opened  till  it  arrived  in  Zion.  {His- 
tory of  the  Church  1:324.) 

(2)  July  2,  1833,  Sidney  Rigdon 
wrote : 

We  are  exceedingly  fatigued,  owing  to 
a  great  press  of  business.  We  this  day 
finished  the   translating   of   the  Scriptures. 

In  the  same  letter  he  also  said: 

Having  finished  the  translation  of  the 
Bible,  a  few  hours  since.  (History  of  the 
Church  1:368-369.) 

(3)  The  Lord  declared  on  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1831: 

Thou  shalt  ask,  and  my  scriptures  shall 
be  given  as  I  have  appointed,  and  they  shall 
be  preserved  in  safety; 

And  it  is  expedient  that  thou  shouldst 
hold  thy  peace  concerning  them,  and  not 
teach  them  until  ye  have  received  them  in 
full. 

And  I  give  unto  you  a  commandment  that 
then  ye  shall  teach  them  unto  all  men;  for 
they  shall  be  taught  unto  all  nations,  kin- 
dreds, tongues,  and  people. 

Thou  shalt  take  the  things  which  thou 
hast  received,  which  have  been  given  unto 
thee  in  my  scriptures  for  a  law,  to  be  my 
law  to  govern  my  church; 

And  he  that  doeth  according  to  these 
things  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that  doeth  them 
not  shall  be  damned  if  he  so  continue. 
(Doctrine  and  Covenants  42:56-60.) 

( 4 )  Eleven  months  later,  January, 
1832,  the  Lord  commanded  Joseph 
and  Sidney  Rigdon 

To  translate  again;  and,  inasmuch  as  it 
is  practicable,  to  preach  in  the  regions  round 
about  until  conference;  and  after  that  it  is 
expedient  to  continue  the  work  of  transla- 
tion until  it  be  finished.  (Doctrine  and 
Covenants  73:3-4.) 

( 5 )  Over  a  year  later,  on  March 
8,  1 833,  the  Lord  said  to  the  Prophet 
Joseph : 

And  when  you  have  finished  the  trans- 
lation of  the  prophets,  you  shall  from 
thenceforth  preside  over  the  affairs  of  the 
church  and  the  school  [of  the  prophets], 
(Doctrine  and  Covenants  90:13.) 

( 6 )  As  to  printing  the  new  trans- 
lation, the  Lord  commanded  the 
Saints  to  dedicate  the  second  lot 
south  of  the  site  of  the  Kirtland 
Temple: 

For  the  building  of  a  house  unto  me, 
for  the  work  of  the  printing  of  the  trans- 
472 


BIBLE 


BY 

DR.  SIDNEY  B.  SPERRY 

AND 

MERRILL  Y.  VAN  WAGONER 

Of  Btigham  Young  University 

lation  of  my  scriptures,  and  all  things  what- 
soever I  shall  command  you.  (Doctrine 
and  Covenants  94:10.) 

He  later  commanded  them: 

To  organize  yourselves,  even  to  shinelah 
[print]  my  words,  the  fulness  of  my  scrip- 
tures.     (Doctrine  and  Covenants   104:58.) 

And  seven  years  later,  the  Lord 
said  of  William  Law: 

If  he  will  do  my  will  let  him  from  hence- 
forth hearken  to  the  counsel  of  my  servant 
Joseph,  and  with  his  interest  support  the 
cause  of  the  poor,  and  publish  the  new 
translation  of  my  holy  word  unto  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth.  (Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants 124:89.) 

It  is  made  plain  in  these  revelations 
that  the  Lord  intended  to  give  the 
Scriptures  in  full,  and  that  the  Scrips 
tures  were  not  to  be  taught  until  they 
were  received  in  full.  There  are 
also  the  respective  declarations  of 
the  Prophet  Joseph  and  Sidney  Rig- 
don that  the  New  and  Old  Testa- 
ments were  "completed"  and  "fin- 
ished." If  at  this  stage  we  add  the 
above  statements  of  the  provisions 
made  by  the  Lord  for  the  publishing 
of  the  "New  Translation,"  we  would 
consider  as  a  matter  of  course  that 
the  Scriptures  must  have  been  re- 
ceived in  full,  or  else  the  command- 
ment to  publish  them  would  not  have 
been  given.  This  is  substantially  the 
view  held  by  the  members  of  the  Re- 
organized church,  who  urge  as  fur- 
ther evidence  that  they  are  the  church 
in  true  succession  the  fact  that  they 
publish  the  Scriptures  as  revised  by 
the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  We 
cannot  stop  here,  however,  for  to 
accept  this  viewpoint  is  to  over- 
simplify the  problem,  as  it  leaves 
untouched  certain  items  of  evidence 
which  demand  recognition. 

The  facts  which  dispute  the  com- 
plete revision  of  the  Bible  are  of 
two  principal  kinds — statements  by 
the  Prophet  Joseph  himself  and  evi- 
dence within  the  Inspired  Revision. 
That  the  Prophet  intended  while  at 
Nauvoo  further  to  revise  the  Bible 
is  definitely  set  forth  in  a  memorial  to 
the  High  Council  of  the  Church, 
dated  June  18,  1840.    In  it  he  said: 


Your  memorialist  feels  .  .  .  the  time  has 
now  come,  when  he  [Joseph  Smith]  should 
devote  himself  exclusively  to  those  things 
which  relate  to  the  spiritualities  of  the 
Church,  and  commence  the  work  of  trans- 
lating the  Egyptian  records,  the  Bible,  and 
wait  upon  the  Lord  for  such  revelations 
as  may  be  suited  to  the  conditions  and 
circumstances  of  the  Church.  (History  of 
the  Church  4:136-137.) 

An  analysis  of  the  above  excerpt 
is  convenient  at  this  point.  If  you 
read  it  again  you  will  notice  the  un- 
expected word  commence.  It  is  in- 
deed unexpected,  for  the  work  of 
translating  the  Bible  was  begun  over 
ten  years  before  this  memorial  was 
presented.  Why  then  does  the  word 
commence  appear  in  the  memorial? 
For  an  explanation  we  must  turn 
back  to  the  time  when  the  Prophet 
was  engaged  in  translating. 

Frequently  as  the  work  progress- 
ed the  Prophet  mentioned  it  in  his 
journal  in  such  terms  as  the  follow- 
ing: 

During  the  month  of  April,  I  continued 
to  translate  the  Scriptures.  (History  of  the 
Church  1:170.) 

Italics  also  ours  in  the  following 

quotations : 

The  early  part  of  September  was  spent 
in  making  preparations  to  remove  to  the 
town  of  Hiram,  and  renew  our  work  on  the 
translation  of  the  Bible.  (History  of  the 
Church   1:211.) 

I  did  little  more  than  prepare  to  recom- 
mence the  translation  of  the  Bible.  (History 
of  the  Church  1:215.) 

I  renewed  my  work  on  the  translation  of 
the  Scriptures.  (History  of  the  Church  1: 
219.) 

I  resumed  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  continued  to  labor  in  this  branch  of 
my  calling  with  Elder  Sidney  Rigdon  as 
my  scribe.     ( History  of  the  Church  1 :  238. ) 

I  recommenced  the  translation  of  the 
Scriptures.     ( History  of  the  Church  1 :  242. ) 

I  resumed  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. From  sundry  revelations  which  had 
been  received,  it  was  apparent  that  many 
important  points  touching  the  salvation  of 
man,  had  been  taken  from  the  Bible,  or  lost 
before  it  was  compiled.  (History  of  the 
Church  1:245.) 

As  soon  as  I  could  arrange  my  affairs,  I 
recommenced  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  thus  I  spent  most  of  the  summer. 
(History  of  the  Church  1:273.) 

In  June  1835,  he  recorded: 

Soon  after  this,  some  of  the  Saints  at 
Kirtland  purchased  the  mummies  and  papy- 
rus, a  description  of  which  shall  appear 
hereafter,  and  with  W.  W.  Phelps  and 
Oliver  Cowdery  as  scribes,  I  commenced 
the  translation  of  some  of  the  characters 
or  hieroglyphics,  and  much  to  our  joy  found 
that  one  of  the  rolls  contained  the  writings 
of  Abraham,  another  the  writings  of  Joseph 
in  Egypt,  etc.  (History  of  the  Church 
2:236.) 


THE    IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,    1940 


And  on  October  7: 

This  afternoon  I  recommenced  translating 
the  ancient  records.  (History  of  the  Church 
2:289.) 

Again  and  again  between  1830 
and  1835  the  Prophet  used  the 
words  resume,  continue,  renew,  and 
recommence  when  speaking  of  trans- 
lating both  the  Bible  and  the  Book 
of  Abraham.  Why,  then,  in  1840 
does  he  say  commence  the  work  of 
translating  the  Egyptian  records  and 
the  Bible?  The  answer  is  simply  that 
the  Prophet  Joseph  did  not  deliver 
the  memorial  in  person,  but,  accord- 
ing to  his  custom,  he  had  dictated 
it  to  a  scribe  and  it  was  later  read  to 
the  High  Council.8  It  is  highly  prob- 
able that  the  scribe  mistakenly  re- 
corded commence  in  place  of  the  re- 
commence dictated  by  the  Prophet. 
At  any  rate,  the  foregoing  shows 
clearly  that  the  Prophet  Joseph  could 
not  have  thought  of  commencing  the 
work  of  translation,  for  he  had  al- 
ready done  much  of  it.  And  it  is 
only  logical  to  conclude  that  he  in- 
tended to  recommence  or  continue 
the  uncompleted  work. 

Furthermore,  President  George 
Q.  Cannon,  in  his  Life  of  Joseph 
Smith,  states: 

We  have  heard  President  Brigham 
Young  state  that  the  Prophet,  before  his 
death,  had  spoken  to  him  about  going 
through  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures 
again  and  perfecting  it  upon  points  of 
doctrine  which  the  Lord  had  restrained  him 
from  giving  in  plainness  and  fulness  at  the 
time  of  which  we  write.  (George  Q. 
Cannon,  Life  of  Joseph  Smith,  p.  142,  foot- 
note.) 

HPhe  second  body  of  evidence  which 
disputes  the  complete  revision 
of  the  Bible  by  the  Prophet  can  be 
found  by  comparing  the  King  James 
version  and  the  Inspired  Revision. 
This  readily  shows  that  he  did  not 
make  a  thorough  revision  or  correct 
all  the  errors  in  the  Bible.  For  in- 
stance, in  some  books  such  as  Hosea, 
which  modern  scholarship  declares 
to  have  a  highly  corrupt  text,  the 
Prophet  has  made  little  or  no 
change.7 

Certain  errors  and  peculiarities  of 
the  King  James  version  have  been 
retained  verbatim.  A  minor  example, 

6A  year  before  the  memorial,  the  Prophet  Joseph 
caused  to  be  recorded  in  his  journal:  "Friday,  July 
5,  1839.— I  was  dictating  history,  I  say  dictating  for 
I  seldom  use  the  pen  myself.  I  always  dictate  all  my 
communications,  but  employ  a  scribe  to  write  them." 
(History  of  the  Church  4:1.)  The  memorial  was  one 
of  these  dictated  communications. 

7"There  is  no  book  of  the  Old  Testament  which  has 
suffered  more  from  textual  corruption  than  Hosea, 
There  is  hardly  a  single  verse  of  which  the  reader  can 
be  sure  that  it  has  not  been  more  or  less  altered, 
generally  by  accident.  A  large  part  of  the  text,  as  it 
stands,  is  meaningless,  though  good  sense  can  often 
be  obtained  by  very  slight  changes."  (W.  O.  E. 
Oesterley  and  Theodore  H.  Robinson,  An  Introduction 
to  the  Books  of  the  Old  Testament,  New  York,  1934, 
p.   354.) 


used  for  illustration  because  of  its  The  Hebrew  text  reads:  "the  vats 
oddity,  is  in  Joel  2:24b,  which  in  shall  overflow  with  wine  and  oil." 
both  versions  reads:    "And  the  fats     The  word  fats  is  a  carry-over  from 


shall  overflow  with  wine  and  oil. 


HILL  CUMORAH  MONUMENT,  LORENZO  S.  YOUNG, 
DESIGNER';   TORLIEF   KNAPHUS,  SCULPTOR. 


the  Old  English  faet.  Compare  vat 
of  Dutch  and  Old  Norse.  This 
archaic  and  misunderstood  word 
from  the  standpoint  of  modern  Eng- 
lish thus  goes  uncorrected  in  the  In- 
spired Revision. 

Another  example,  verse  five  of  the 
eighth  Psalm,  which  is  a  passage  of 
great  doctrinal  interest  to  us,  was 
incorrectly  rendered  by  the  King 
James  translators  and  furthermore 
retains  the  same  reading  in  the  In- 
spired Revision.  Although  the  He- 
brew text  reads,  "thou  hast  made 
him  a  little  lower  than  the  gods," 
(the  word  elohim,  which  is  gods, 
being  used),  the  King  James  and 
Inspired  Revision  are  the  same  in 
rendering  it,  "for  thou  hast  made 
him  little  lower  than  the  angels." 
Only  a  preconceived  religious  con- 
ception could  have  prompted  the 
King  James  translators  to  render 
the  word  Elohim  as  angels.  Hence 
this  is  one  instance  of  dishonesty  on 
their  part. 

And  then  to  the  youthful  Prophet 
Joseph,  on  the  night  of  September 
21,  1823,  Moroni  quoted,  with  other 
passages  of  scripture,  part  of  the 
third  chapter  of  Malachi  and  all  the 
fourth.  Verses  one,  five,  and  six  of 
chapter  four,  as  they  were  quoted 
by  Moroni,  differ  from  the  usual 
reading  found  in  both  the  King  James 
version  and  Inspired  Revision. 
These  read  as  follows: 

For,  behold,  the  day  cometh,  that  shall 
burn  as  an  oven;  and  all  the  proud,  yea, 
and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble; 
and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them 
up,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  that  it  shall 
leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch. 

Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet 
before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful 
day  of  the  Lord: 

And  he  shall  turn  the  heart  of  the  fathers 
to  the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  children 
to  their  fathers,  lest  I  come  and  smite  the 
earth  with  a  curse.     (Malachi  4:1,  5-6.) 

Moroni  quoted  as  follows: 

For  behold,  the  day  cometh  that  shall 
burn  as  an  oven,  and  all  the  proud,  yea, 
and  all  that  do  wickedly  shall  burn  as 
stubble;  for  they  that  come  shall  burn  them, 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  that  it  shall  leave 
them  neither  root  nor  branch. 

Behold,  I  will  reveal  unto  you  the  Priest' 
hood,  by  the  hand  of  Elijah  the  prophet, 
before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful 
day  of  the  Lord. 

And  he  shall  plant  in  the  hearts  of  the 
children  the  promises  made  to  the  fathers, 
and  the  hearts  of  the  children  shall  turn 
to  their  fathers.  If  it  were  not  so,  the  whole 
earth  would  be  utterly  wasted  at  his  coming. 
(Pearl  of  Great  Price,  Writings  of  Joseph 
Smith  2:37-39.  Italics  ours  to  indicate 
changes.) 

(Continued  on  page  488) 

473 


BRIGHAM  THOMAS 
HIGGS- 

Builder  of  Houses  and  Men 

From  a  sketch 
By  EMMA  H.  WAKEFIELD 

Because  throughout  his  life  he  was 
not  afraid  to  do  a  little  more  than 
was  asked  of  him,  Brigham 
Thomas  Higgs,  who  for  forty-four 
years  served  Brigham  Young  Univer- 
sity as  instructor  in  woodwork  and 
custodian  of  buildings  and  grounds,  was 
loved  and  respected.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  in  July,  1939,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-one,  it  was  said  of  him  by  one 
of  his  associates:  "He  could  do  more 
things  well  than  any  of  us  at  the  univer- 
sity." 

Born  March  10,  1858,  in  a  little  house 
just  inside  famed  Eagle  Gate  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  he  early  learned  the  trade 
of  his  father,  who  was  carpenter  to 
President  Brigham  Young,  and  received 
training  in  an  uncle's  machine  shop. 
That  laid  the  foundation  for  all  his 
future  service:  after  his  marriage  to 
Susie  Summers,  he  moved  to  Manti  at 
the  time  the  temple  was  being  built; 
then,  in  Castle  Valley,  he  built  suc- 
cessively a  number  of  firsts — a  burr 
flour  mill,  a  sawmill,  and  a  roller  flour 
mill;  in  Emery  County  he  spent  many 
years  building  houses,  and  for  a  time 
was  foreman  for  a  house  construction 
company  in  Ogden. 

In  1895  he  first  came  to  Brigham 
Young  University  to  care  for  the  heat- 
ing plant.  True  to  his  generous  nature, 
he  devoted  spare  moments  doing  repair 
jobs  about  the  school  and  cabinet-work 
for  the  offices.  His  willingness  and 
superior  workmanship  were  soon  rec- 
ognized and  he  was  made  teacher  in 
the  woodwork  department,  a  position 
he  held  for  twenty  years. 

It  was  later,  as  custodian,  that  his 
vision  conceived  the  plan  to  have  stu- 
dents perform  the  janitorial  work,  there- 
by enabling  them  to  pay  their  way 
through  college.  Experimental  at  first, 
474 


A 


NATIONAL 


DISEASE 

By  W.  BLAKE  CHRISTENSEN 


ON  the  surface  of  the  human  body 
at  all  times  are  countless  mil- 
lions of  bacteria,  but  the  great 
majority  of  these  bacteria  are  fortu- 
nately more  or  less  harmless.  Occa- 
sionally, however,  there  is  to  be  found 
on  the  skin  an  organism  known  tech- 
nically as  Staphylococcus  aureus 
which  under  certain  conditions  can  in- 
vade the  body  tissues  and  produce 
boils  and  carbuncles. 

Whenever  a  virulent  strain  of  this 
organism  penetrates  the  skin  and  be- 
gins to  grow  at  the  expense  of  the 
body  tissues,  the  body  immediately  re- 
sponds by  sending  white  blood  cor- 
puscles and  increased  supplies  of  blood 
to  the  point  of  infection.  As  a  result, 
the  point  of  infection  becomes  red  and 
swollen  and  very  painful  indeed.  Un- 
der ordinary  conditions  the  body  is 
eventually  successful  in  combating  this 
infection;  the  bacteria  are  killed  by  the 
body  defenses;  the  injured  tissues  are 
repaired;  and  the  body  as  a  whole  is 
not  seriously  damaged. 

However,  at  times  there  are  certain 
weaker  kinds  of  Staphylococcus  aureus 
which  enter  the  body  tissues,  but  which 
because  of  their  lack  of  virulence,  can- 
not make  the  body  respond  with  such 
vigor  as  would  be  the  case  if  the  or- 
ganisms were  of  the  stronger  type.  In 
other  words,  the  human  body  in  the 
case  of  these  weaker  bacteria  refuses 
to  take  the  infection  seriously  and  aU 
lows  the  bacteria  to  remain  more  or 
less  unmolested  in  the  body  tissues.  The 
diseases,  chronic  nasal  sinusitis,  chron- 
ic osteomyelitis,  and  chronic  staphy- 
lococcic empyema  are  examples  of  in- 
fections produced  by  the  weaker  or- 
ganisms. 

These  weaker  bacteria,  unlike  the 
stronger  ones,  do  not  leave  the  body 
unmolested,  and  they  are  a  very  real 
source  of  danger.  From  the  point  of 
infection,  poisons  are  sent  out  all  over 
the  body  in  very  small  amounts  which, 
although  not  causing  spectacular  symp- 
toms of  disease  to  develop,  do  never- 


Instructor  in  Bacteriology, 
Pocatello  Branch  College 

theless  gradually  undermine  the  health 
and  resistance  of  the  body  until  it  be- 
comes subject  to  more  serious  infec- 
tions that  are  likely  to  follow  and  that 
may  be  fatal  if  medical  attention  is  not 
sought. 

Our  national  attitude  toward  drugs 
and  tobacco  is  similar  to  the  above  de- 
scribed attitude  of  the  human  body  to- 
ward these  different  types  of  staphylo- 
coccic infections.  Thus,  when  an  out- 
break occurs  in  drug  traffic  involving 
morphine  or  cocaine  or  opium,  the  na- 
tion's defenses  in  the  form  of  its  po- 
lice officers  are  immediately  mobilized 
to  combat  the  forces  of  the  drug  rings. 
Similarly,  with  the  attack  of  a  virulent 
strain  of  staphylococcus  aureus  on  the 
human  body,  the  body  defenses  are 
mobilized  to  attack  the  invading 
bacteria. 

With  the  tobacco  industry,  which 
promotes  the  sale  of  a  drug  of  weaker 
powers  than  cocaine,  or  morphine,  or 
opium,  the  nation  pays  little  or  no  at- 
tention to  the  evil  effects  of  tobacco 
on  the  health  of  the  nation,  just  as  the 
human  body  pays  little  attention  to  the 
weaker  staphylococcus  infections.  And 
as  the  vitality  of  the  human  body  de- 
clines under  the  influence  of  these  in- 
fections, so  does  the  vitality  of  the 
nation  decline  under  the  influence  of 
tobacco.  The  tobacco  disease  seems 
therefore  to  be  a  greater  menace  to  the 
general  health  and  well  being  than  the 
traffic  in  stronger  drugs  simply  be- 
cause it  is  not  considered  a  menace 
at  all. 

How  can  we  cure  this  national  dis- 
ease? The  only  way  is  to  educate  the 
people  to  the  facts  about  tobacco. 
Once  this  is  accomplished,  the  use  of 
tobacco  will  decline  and  will  disappear. 
The  disappearance  of  the  habit  is  of 
course  far  in  the  future,  but  it  is  up 
to  us  all  to  hasten  the  time  as  much 
as  possible.  We  must  eradicate  this 
national  disease  that  is  sapping  our 
health,  our  strength,  and  our  intelli- 
gence. 


♦  ■ 


the  plan  under  his  supervision  proved 
highly  successful.  He  loved  the  work, 
and  he  loved  the  boys,  and  in  turn  won 
their  admiration  for  the  life-lessons  he 
taught  them. 

Brigham    T.    Higgs,    an    exemplary 
Latter-day  Saint,  energetic  in  body  and 


mind,  part  of  whose  home-spun  philos- 
ophy was  that  a  father  should  be  the 
kind  of  man  he  would  be  proud  to  have 
his  son  become,  will  be  long  remember- 
ed by  the  thousands  who  learned  to 
know  him  during  his  active,  devoted 
life. 


Jh&toLL  Aomolhin^  about 

A  SPRIG 
OF  SAGE 


jmtL  €L  qbtL  who 
h&mindA.  owl  i>$ 
awcJv  JthmgA. 


a 


K, 


.entIverson  is  the 
ranger.  His  horse  can  beat  any- 
body's, I  bet;  only  I  hope  he  don't 
marry  that  old  Isabel  Hamilton," 
contributed  little  Timmie,  conversa- 
tionally. 

"Isabel  Hamilton?"  Lyn  lowered 
the  forkful  of  scrambled  eggs  care- 
fully back  to  her  plate.  Kent's  name 
always  played  tricks  with  her  com- 
posure. 

"Yes.  Isabel  is  home  from  school, 
too,  but  she  isn't  going  back  to  grad- 
uate, like  you  are.  She  quit,  her 
mother  says,  but  I  don't  know.  There 
was  something — " 

"Does  Kent — does  Isabel — ?"  said 
Lyn,  and  stopped. 

"I'll  say  she  does,"  put  in  Stafford, 
Lyn's  brother.  "She  chases  him 
around  in  her  car  and  picks  him  off 
the  range  almost  every  day.  She 
doesn't  seem  to  realize  he's  got  his 
hands  full  with  all  the  men  driving 
off  cattle,  permits  to  be  watched,  and 
the  salt  licks  being  placed.  The 
other  day  she  pulled  up  when  we 
were  vaccinating  for  blackleg  and 
wasted  half  an  hour  of  his  time. 
You  haven't  got  a  chance." 

"Why,  Stafford  Billings!"  said 
Lyn's  mother,  shocked.  "I'm  sure 
Lyn — -" 

"The  dickens  she  doesn't!  That's 
all  she  wants  to  take  this  trip  with 
me  for — she  thinks  she'll  see  Kent. 
Dressed  like  a  movie  queen!  'Bout 
the  time  her  horse  busts  right  through 
a  bull-berry  patch  she'll  wish  she  had 
on  leather  clothes.  Girls  make  me 
sick,"  he  finished  contemptuously, 
and  was  gone. 

"Don't  pay  any  attention  to  him. 


LYN  FELT  DEJECTED  TO 
THE  POINT  OF  ILLNESS. 
BUT  THE  ENCOUNTER  HAD 
DONE  SOMETHING  TO  HER. 


BY 

ALICE  MORREY  BAILEY 


Lyn.  He  has  a  man's  work  to  do, 
and  does  it  well.  He's  just  at  that 
age  when  he  resents  having  a  girl 
along,  but  he's  short  of  help  and 
really  needs  you.  He  couldn't  get 
anybody  with  cattle  sense  but  the 
Findley  boy,  who,  he  says,  rides  like 
an  old  woman.  I'm  sure  he's  teasing, 
about  Kent,  I  mean." 

"No,  he  isn't,"  thought  Lyn. 
"He's  entirely  right,  but  no  use  to 
try  to  explain  to  Mother." 

"I  hope  things  come  right  for  you, 
Lyn,"  her  mother  was  saying.  "But 
I'd  hate  to  have  a  daughter  of  mine 
behave  like  Isabel  does  to  accomplish 
them.  You'd  better  go  now.  Staf- 
ford'll  be  needing  you  to  help  get 
the  cattle  across  the  river." 

Lyn  went,  without  replying. 

So.  Isabel  was  out  to  get  Kent. 
Well,  maybe  her  methods  had  some- 
thing to  the  good.  Lyn  had  given 
the  other  way  a  fair  trial.  Four 
years  of  waiting  had  netted  her  ex- 
actly four  years  of  silence  from  Kent. 

"I'm  afraid  Isabel  is  going  to 
have  a  little  competition,"  Lyn  told 
herself  grimly  as  she  forced  the  bit 
between  Pepper's  set  teeth.  Anger 
ran  through  her  as  she  threw  the 
heavy  stock  saddle  in  a  wide  arc  that 
settled   it   precisely  on   the  horse's 


back.  She  tightened  the  cinch,  an 
act  that  swayed  Pepper  on  his  long, 
powerful  legs.  Anger  lifted  her  chin, 
flushed  her  cheeks  in  the  ride  through 
the  early  dawn,  blinding  her  to  the 
beauty,  the  beloved  landmarks; 
anger  rode  with  her  into  the  din  and 
battle  of  forcing  the  herd  across  the 
icy  river. 

Let  them  think  what  they  please — 
Mother  and  Staff.  Kent — with  the 
level  look  in  his  eyes,  the  purpose  be- 
hind them,  the  power,  the  honor,  the 
courtesy — was  not  for  a  girl  like 
Isabel,  who  saw  only  his  good  looks 
and  the  perfect  way  he  wore  his 
clothes. 

Lyn  could  stop  it.  She  was  pretty, 
slim,  immaculately  dressed,  even  a 
little  "glamorous"  according  to  the 
boys  at  school.  And  she  was  poised. 
More  important,  her  ideals  were  the 
same  as  those  of  Kent.  Certainly 
the  end  justified  the  means.  Anger 
went  out  of  her  as  quiet  settled  over 
the  plodding  herd. 

Lyn  took  a  deep  breath.  No  fusty 
grudges  under  this  clean  sweep  of 
sky! 

J- he  morning  wore  on  and 
Lyn  did  not  tire.  Of  course,  Staff 
took  most  of  the  rough  work,  leaving 
Lyn  to  ride  the  trail,  push  the  little 
calves  who  were  lagging  already, 
with  tongues  out,  legs  trembling,  soft 
eyes  drooping  pathetically.  Frank 
(Continued  on  page  500) 
475 


SALT  LAKE  CITY,  A  REGIONAL 

CAPITAL 

(Chauncey  Dennison  Harris.    The 

University  of  Chicago  Libraries,  1940.) 

Oalt  Lake  City  receives  in  this  inform- 
«  ative,  scholarly,  and  interesting  volume, 
modern  geographical  treatment.  The  city 
is  shown  to  serve  and  dominate  a  region  of 
185,000  square  miles  in  which  live  790,000 
people.  It  is  really  a  regional  capital.  This 
statement  is  defended  in  easy  language  by 
a  great  wealth  of  evidence,  exceedingly  well 
organized  and  simply  presented.  The  au- 
thor presents  the  panorama,  supported  by 
seventeen  maps  of  the  city,  the  Wasatch 
oasis,  the  Salt  Lake  City  region,  trade 
flows,  history,  the  contributing  settlements, 
and  finally  the  localization  of  regional 
functions  in  the  city.  One  arises  from  the 
reading  with  a  new  and  clearer  understand- 
ing of  the  present  place  and  the  future  pos- 
sibilities of  the  region  of  which  Salt  Lake 
City  is  the  natural  capital.  It  is  really  an 
interpretative  handbook  of  Salt  Lake  City 
and  its  region,  which  should  receive  wide 
popular  reading  and  which  should  also  be 
in  the  hands  of  professional  and  business 
men  of  the  region.  We  congratulate  Dr. 
Harris  upon  this  study  of  a  region  which  his 
ancestors  had  a  hand  in  developing. 

— /.  A.  W. 

THE  ANCIENT  MEXICAN  SYSTEM 
(Charles  E.  Dibble.     Edited  by  E.  R. 
Smith,  Museum  of  Anthropology, 
University  of  Utah,  1940.) 

'"Phis  brief  paper  will  be  of  much  inter- 
•-*■  est  to  students  of  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
to  whom  ancient  America  is  of  perennial 
interest.  Following  a  short  but  enlighten- 
ing account  of  the  ancient  Mexican  writing 
system  is  a  dictionary  of  about  130  hiero- 
glyphics used  in  the  NahuatI  (Aztec)  lan- 
guage. For  each  hieroglyph  is  given  its 
value  in  composition,  name  in  NahuatI,  and 
English  equivalent.  While  admittedly  the 
work  is  based  upon  one  of  the  later  codices 
(XOLOTL),  yet  it  is  representative  of  the 
hieroglyphs  of  the  earlier  codices.  It  has 
long  been  the  hope  of  the  public  as  well 
as  of  scholars  that  the  existing  codices  might 
be  deciphered  to  shed  light  on  the  history 
and  life  of  ancient  America.  This  is  a  good 
piece  of  work  by  a  trained  scholar,  which 
should  be  continued.- — /.  A  W. 

STORY  AND  VERSE  FOR  CHILDREN 
(Selected   and  Edited  by  Miriam 
Blanton  Huber.     Macmillan  Company, 
New  York,  1940.    857  pages.) 

Tn  this  anthology,  the  editor  has  done  a 
*  remarkable  job  not  only  of  selecting  ma- 
terial for  inclusion,  but  also  of  writing  help- 
ful chapters,  invaluable  for  parents  and 
teachers  who  are  concerned  with  the  read- 
ing of  children.  Included  in  the  first  section, 
titled  "Books  and  Children,"  is  a  selection 
from  Hamlin  Garland  in  which  he  poig- 
nantly tells  of  his  hungering  for  books  and 
what  they  did  for  him.  What  happened  to 
him  in  his  reading  happens  frequently  to 
many  children  who  cannot  express  them- 
selves so  adequately. 

The  chapter  dealing  with  the  history  of 
children's  literature  is  vital  to  an  under- 
standing of  our  modern  situation.  The  sec- 
tion on  poetry,  including  eight  subdivisions, 
is  particularly  good.  Other  divisions  deal 
with  Old  Tales  and  Legends,  Stories  of 
476 


Then  and  Now.  The  last  section  presents 
brief  biographies  of  children's  authors.  One 
of  the  incomparable  values  of  this  book  is 
the  comprehensive  list  of  references  for 
additional  reading  and  the  suggested  stu- 
dent activities  which  follow  each  chapter. 
Story  and  Verse  for  Children  is  an  ex- 
tremely valuable  addition  to  anyone's 
library — and  a  necessity  where  there  are 
children  to  be  guided  in  discriminating 
reading. — M.  C.  J. 

THOREAU 

(Henry  Seidel  Canby.    Houghton  Mifflin 

Company,  Boston.     508  pages.     $3.75.) 

Along  with  the  name  of  Emerson,  that 
of  Thoreau  is  one  to  be  conjured 
with.  It  means  much  to  all  who  love 
nature  and  who  feel  that  in  her  they  may 
find  much  to  restore  their  souls.  For  years, 
however,  this  ardent  lover  of  nature  has 
been  neglected. 

The  author  has  found  that  in  spite  of  the 
intense  seriousness  with  which  Thoreau 
pursued  his  work  he  had  a  deep  and  keen 
sense  of  humor.  When  he  was  talking 
about  his  ancestors,  he  frequently  said  that 
his  grandfather  arrived  in  America,  "sans 
souci,  sans  sous."  In  spite  of  his  light- 
hearted  manner  when  talking  of  his  an- 
cestors, he  took  a  great  deal  of  pride  in  his 
lineage.  Wasn't  he  descended  from  the 
best  lines  in  England  and  France? 

One  of  the  great  figures  in  early 
American  life,  Thoreau  should  be  better 
known  than  he  is.  This  book  by  a  recognized 
writer  should  fill  a  much-felt  need.- — M.  C.  /. 

THE  BIRD  IN  THE  TREE 
(Elizabeth  Goudge.     Coward-McCann, 
Inc.,  New  York.     339  pages.     $2.50.) 

Miss  Goudge  has  a  delightful  touch  that 
enlivens  all  that  she  handles.  In  this 
novel  of  family  life  on  the  foreign  coast  of 
Hampshire,  the  love  story  of  David  Eliot 
and  Nadine  unfolds  poignantly.  The  de- 
lightful whimsey  of  the  children  Ben,  Tom- 
my, and  Caroline  will  cause  many  a  nos- 
talgic chuckle,  while  the  messages  are  of 
tremendous  import  during  these  troublous 
times. 

Through  the  lives  of  her  leading  char- 
acters, Miss  Goudge  teaches  that  the  selfish 
interests  of  persons  must  be  submerged,  even 
at  the  cost  of  great  sacrifice,  for  the  good 
of  the  greater  number — a  lesson  much 
needed  in  our  modern  world.  She  also 
leaves  the  readers  with  the  comforting 
thought  that  the  spirit  of  man  has  wings. 

— M.  C.  J. 

MOTHER  OF  THE  SMITHS 
(Lorraine  Carr.     Macmillan  Company, 
New  York,   1940.     296  pages.     $2.50.) 

Tnto  the  little  village  of  Taos,  Sabe  and 
*  Si  Smith  moved  with  their  earthly  pos- 
sessions to  make  themselves  a  home.  Sabe 
belonged  to  that  valiant  band  of  pioneers 
who    refused   to   let   conditions    remain    as 


A  TRANSITORY  WISH 

By  Alice  Whitson  Norton 

T  wish  that  I  might  fill  my  arms  with  peace, 
*  The  kind  that  broods  in  forests,  dense  and 

gray, 
To  use  like  sweet  incense  within  my  home, 
When  noise  and  mad  confusion  mar  the 
day. 


they  were.  Even  if  she  had  to  dig  in  the 
mud  and  wade  barefooted  in  the  water  to 
make  her  adobes,  she  was  willing  to  do  so, 
if  only  that  day  would  speedily  come  when 
her  children  should  have  the  things  which 
she  herself  craved  and  seemed  never  to  be 
able  to  afford.  Always  she  had  wanted 
a  blue  silk  dress  with  a  lace  collar,  and 
when  it  finally  came  from  her  doctor  son 
— but  that  is  where  the  story  ends,  so  you 
must  read  it. — M.  C.  /. 

VOCATIONS  AND  PROFESSIONS 
(Edited  by  Philip  Henry  Lotz. 
Association  Press,  New  York,  1940. 
145  pages.    $1.25.) 

Nowadays  when  great  care  needs  to  be 
exercised  in  the  choice  of  a  vocation 
this  volume  is  apropos.  Told  through  the 
lives  of  interesting  characters,  the  book  be- 
comes doubly  valuable  because  it  includes 
also  biographs.  Through  the  sketches,  such 
vocations  as  the  medical,  social,  musical, 
scientific,  journalistic  are  treated  in  addition 
to  those  of  naturalist,  merchant,  aviator, 
and  missionary.  This  volume  will  offer  a 
real  opportunity  for  parents  and  teachers 
and  young  people  to  become  cognizant  of 
vocations  at  the  same  time  that  they  learn 
about  leading  men  in  the  professions. 

—M.  C.  /. 
MARGARET  FULLER 
(Mason  Wade.    The  Viking  Press,  New 
York,  1940.    297  pages.    $3.50.) 

The  subtitle  of  the  book,  "Whetstone  of 
Genius,"  is  well  chosen,  for  this  gifted 
woman  stirred  the  latent  powers  of  others 
to  realization.  In  spite  of  her  ability  and 
talents,  she  has  been  neglected  or  misin- 
terpreted, although  a  study  of  her  life  makes 
New  England's  greatest  era  more  readily 
understandable.  Born  of  two  generations 
who  were  outspoken  in  their  beliefs  and 
fearless  in  their  championship  of  what  they 
believed  right,  Margaret  Fuller  received 
training  which  intensified  her  ancestors' 
qualities. 

Because  beauty  was  denied  her,  Margaret 
Fuller  determined  to  be  "bright  and  ugly." 
The  fact  that  she  was  able,  before  her  un- 
timely death  at  the  age  of  forty,  to  translate 
many  books  from  the  German,  teach  lan- 
guages so  that  her  pupils  enjoyed  them  and 
were  able  to  read  them  fluently  after  only 
a  short  period  of  study,  that  she  formed  con- 
versations groups,  and  that  she  wrote,  may 
indicate  somewhat  the  versatility  and 
ability  of  this  truly  remarkable  woman. 

— M.  C.  /. 

GENTLEMAN  OF  STRATFORD 

(John  Brophy.     Harper  and  Brothers, 
New  York,  1940.     346  pages.) 

Shakespeare  as  dramatist  has  become  a 
citizen  of  the  world,  having  been  made 
national  poet  of  countless  countries  into 
whose  tongues  his  immortal  English  has 
been  translated.  Shakespeare  as  man  is 
less  well-known.  In  this  novel,  John 
Brophy  has  done  a  rather  remarkable  job 
in  several  ways.  He  has  not  only  made 
Shakespeare  live  for  us,  but  he  has  also 
recreated  the  world  in  which  Shakespeare 
moved;  amazingly  enough  the  author  has 
recaptured  even  the  words  which  the  folk 
of  the  period  used. 

Of  great  merit  is  the  "Author's  Post- 
script: Historical  Origins,"  in  which  Mr. 
Brophy  explains  his  reasons  for  his  interpre- 
tation of  Shakespeare. — M.  C,  ], 


PEACE 
By  Edith  Granger  Hawkes 

Peace  is  not  inertia,  not  indifference,  no, 
nor  sleep! 
It  is  not  blindness  to  our  country's  needs 

and  rights; 
Nor  is  it  cowardice  nor  selfish  love  of  ease. 
They  lie  who  say  so — lie  to  make  the  right 

seem  wrong, 
To  cover  what  they  fain  would  have  the 

world  believe — 
That  fighting  is  the  only  way  to  gain  our 

ends. 

Dear  God — 

Remind  them,  then,  of  those  who  lie  in  for- 
eign fields, 

Their  fathers,  or  their  brothers,  or  the  friends 
of  friends! 

No  strangers  those  who  died  because  we 
dared  not  peace; 

For  peace  is  courage,  and  the  brave  are 
ever  they 

Who  stand  against  the  throng  and  say,  "I 
will  not  kill." 

Peace  is  a  quiet  world  in  which  to  live  and 
work; 

Peace  is  the  clasp  of  hands  across  the  sun- 
dering sea; 

Peace  is  a  dream  that  we  ourselves  may 
bring  to  pass, 

If  we  but  face  the  nations,  strong  in  truth 
and  right. 

■  ♦  ■ 

FAITH 
By  Anna  Johnson 

Faith  is  a  winging  lark 
That  nestles  within  the  soul; 
Its  song  is  bright  with  joy 

As  notes  and  measures  roll. 
It  flies  beyond  the  waves; 

It  soars  above  the  storm; 
And  gentle  strains  fall  back 

To  keep  the  spirit  warm. 
In  dark,  depressing  night 

Or  on  the  troubled  sea, 
That  winging  lark  of  faith 

Sings  strains  of  hope  to  me. 


SUMMER  NIGHT 
By  Kathrya  Kendall 


HEAVEN  wears  a  gown  of  silver, 
Holds   a   lantern  up, 
While  she  spills  the  sparkling  dew-drops 
From  a  jeweled  cup. 


WASHED  BY  SWEET  THOUGHTS 
By  Alice  Hoey  Shaffer 

MY  heart  warms 
When  I  smell  black  earth, 
Sweet-breathed  after  rain, 
And  see  rocks,  bright-faced 
Because  new-washed. 
Though  they  last  not  long. 
Their  memory  does. 

Thus,  sweet  thoughts, 

Though  passing, 

Wash  my  spirit 

And  when  the  great  divide 

Is  passed, 

My  soul  shall  be  more  clean 

Because  of  these. 


A   SWEETER   MELODY 
By  Celia  A.  Van  Cott 

Our  little  home  rests  on  a  greening  hill 
Where  hummingbirds  and  buzzing  bees 
Add  dreamy  notes  to  golden  symphonies. 
In  white  moonlight,  wistarias  spill 
Their  purple  clusters  on  our  window  sill. 
The  summer  days  are  brief;  the  windy  breeze 
Unswirls  loose  leaves  in  tumbling  rhap- 
sodies; 
Song  birds  fly  south;  the  world  lies  white 
and  still. 

Each  fragrant  flower  is  but  a  memory; 
White  moonlight  on  the  hill,  a  shaft  of  pain; 
The  lyric  songs  of  birds,  lost  ecstacy; 
The  echo  of  each  note,  a  sad  refrain. 
My  love,  I  hear  a  sweeter  melody: 
Your  homing  footsteps  striding  up  the  lane! 


OUT  OF  TIME 

By  Edith  Cherrington 

n^HE  hall  is  empty  but  never  stilled, 
-*•    For  Time,  as  he  measures  the  hours,  has 

filled 
The  space  with  his  steady,  incessant  talk. 
The    measured    voice    of   the   Grandfather 

clock 
Counts  in  a  dignified  monotone 
And  lets  the  sum  of  the  hours  be  known 
As  he  calls  them  off  with  a  clang  of  bells. 

Could   it  be  that  back  of  the  clock   there 

dwell 
The  worn-out  hours  from  the  counted  past? 
Tusseled  and  numbered  and  prisoned  fast — 
Mummied  minutes  that  may  be  drawn 
From  the  tomb  of  time,  and  remarked  upon? 


•  4Jt  *- 


EVENING  REMEMBRANCES 

By  Solveig  Paulson  Russell 

T  have  seen  the  shadows  creep 
*  Down  from  the  hill 
And  lay  their  hushing  fingers 
On  the  whispering  willow  trees, 
And  on  the  tall  heads  of  waving  grain. 
I  have  seen  red  clouds  fill 
A  placid  brook  with  evening  loveliness 
And  spill  their  glory  over  dusky  pines 
Like  molten  miser's  gain, 
Until  the  twilight  benediction  played 
A  silent  symphony 
To  bless  the  heart. 

How  can  I  then  be  satisfied 

In  city  streets  when  day  is  done? 

There  murky  drabness  eats  away  the  light 

And  fills  the  holes  with  darkness. 

There  the  night  has  no  gentle  ushering 

Or  soft  remembrance  of  a  burnished  day 

To  period  work-worn  hours. 

I  yearn  for  home  and  seek  to  find 

Solace  in  pictures 

Of  the  mind. 


LEISURE 

By  Huntington  Mack 

f  have  been  cat-and-mousing 
*  For  a  hole  in  the  wall  of  Time 
Through   which    an    hour   might    furtively 

creep 
That  I  could  pounce  upon  as  mine. 


AT  CLOSE  OF  DAY 
By  Alice  R.  Rich 

Twilight  falls  on   wood  and   field   and 
stream; 
The  sun  dips  low  into  the  lake  of  blue. 
Its  rays  of  amber  change  to  burnished  gold, 
And  mingle  with  the  spray  in  roseate  hue. 

Hushed  and  still  are  bird  and  humming  bee. 

The  wood  folk  seek  their  burrows  and  their 
nest. 

A  heavenly  peace  pervades  this  sweet  re- 
treat— 

Calm  and  serene,  all  nature  sinks  to  rest. 


FRIENDLY  STREET 
By  Ida  R.  Alldvedge 

I  long  to  live    in  peaceful  village  street 
Where  children's  laughter  floats  upon  the 
breeze 
And  echoes  through  the  stately  poplar  trees 
Where  mossy  streamlets  flow  and  lave  their 

feet. 
The  kindly  folk  are  in  the  village  street; 
They  meet  at  eventide  to  clasp  the  hand. 
What  matters  whence  they  came,  their  na- 
tive land, 
So  long  as  they  can  meet  in  friendly  street? 
The  youth  and  maiden  dream,  as  arm  in  arm 
They  listen  to  the  warbler's  merry  tune 
And  revel  in  the  beauty  of  the  moon. 
All  nature  lends  to  them  romantic  charm. 
Oh,  take  me  from  the  busy  marts  of  men 
And  let  me  dwell  in  friendly  street  again! 


TWO  PIANOS 

By  Norma  Wrathall 

A    fine  piano  my  neighbor  owns — 
**  Shining  and  new,  its  dulcet  tones 
Released  by  fingers  carefully  placed, 
While  feet  beneath  are  primly  braced; 
No  errant  toe  to  mar  its  sheen — 
Mahogany  satin,  softly  seen. 

My  piano,  a  comrade's  own; 
Mellow  and  old,  its  lilting  tone 
Answering  fingers  that  skim  and  sing, 
While  feet  beneath  must  gently  swing 
To  mark  the  rhythm,  and  mar  the  sheen- 
Dim  are  the  scratches,  faintly  seen. 

So  her  piano  will  always  be 
Shining  like  new,  a  sight  to  see. 
But  mine  will  recall  an  earnest  face 
Reading  the  music,  marking  the  pace, 
Fingers  that  sing,  and  feet  that  start 
The  rhythms  and  melodies  of  my  heart. 


SILENCE 

By  Tom  Peck 

Tn  silence  comes  all  loveliness: 
•*■  The  dawn  is  ever  still; 
No  noise  accompanies  the  dew 
That  glitters  on  the  hill. 

The  sunrise  slips  up  quietly, 
The  moon  is  never  heard; 

And  love  that  animates  the  eyes 
Surpasses  any  word. 

And  prayer  is  best  in  solitude — 

It  seems  so  very  odd 
That,  long  before,  I  did  not  know 

In  silence,  I'd  find  God! 


477 


NEW  PRESIDENT  GOES  TO 
EAST  CENTRAL  STATES 

/"^alled  to  succeed  William  T.  Tew, 
^  Jr.,  as  president  of  the  East  Central 
States  Mission  is  James  P.  Jensen  of 
Sandy,  Utah,  clerk  of  the  East  Jordan 
Stake  and  former  bishop  of  the  Sandy 
Second  Ward.  President  and  Sister 
Jensen,  accompanied  by  a  grand- 
daughter, Carma  Rae  Jensen,  left  late 
in  July  for  mission  headquarters  in 
Louisville,  Kentucky.  Elder  Tew,  who 
has  been  on  leave  from  the  Church 
Department  of  Education  for  three 
years,  is  returning  with  his  family  to 
resume  his  work  as  principal  of  the 
Springville  seminary. 

From  1901  to  1903  a  missionary  to 
the  Southern  States  (which  then  in- 
cluded what  is  now  the  East  Central 
States  Mission ) ,  and  for  several  years  a 
resident  in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  while 
working  for  the  International  Harvester 
Company,  the  new  president  is  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  field.  In  addition  to 
his  consecutive  positions  in  the  Church 
as  superintendent  of  the  Jordan  Stake 
Y.  M.  M.  I.  A.,  as  bishop,  and  as  stake 
clerk,  Elder  Jensen  has  taken  an  active 
part  in  civic  affairs.  He  served  as  a 
member  of  the  Jordan  district  board  of 
education,  a  member  of  the  Sandy  city 
council,  and  as  justice  of  the  peace. 

President  and  Sister  Jensen  have  five 
children,  four  of  whom  are  married,  and 
one,  Donald  A.  Jensen,  just  returned 
from  a  mission  to  Denmark  and  the 
Eastern  States. 

JAPANESE  MISSION 
HEAD  APPOINTED 

Plder  Jay  C.  Jensen  of  Salt  Lake,  a 
■L*'  member  of  the  Highland  Park 
Ward  bishopric,  has  been  appointed  to 
succeed  President  Hilton  A.  Robertson 
as  head  of  the  Japanese  Mission  with 
headquarters  in  Honolulu,  Hawaii. 
President  Robertson  and  his  family  will 
return  some  time  in  August  to  their 
home  in  Springville,  after  four  and  a 
half  years  spent  among  the  Japanese 
people  in  Hawaii,  where,  in  February, 
1936,  the  Japanese  Mission  was  re- 
opened for  the  first  time  since  its  dis- 
continuance in  Japan  in  1924. 

President  Jensen  filled  a  first  mission 
to  Japan  from  1908  to  1913,  and  just 
last  fall  made  a  visit  to  his  old  field  of 
labor  on  a  trip  sponsored  by  the  Jap- 
anese Tourist  Bureau.  At  that  time 
he  also  visited  the  mission  in  Hawaii. 
Always  active  in  Church  work,  Elder 
Jensen  was  for  several  years  ward  clerk 
and  a  member  of  the  stake  high  council 
before  going  into  the  bishopric. 

Accompanied  by  Sister  Jensen,  who 
is  president  of  the  Y.  W.  M.  I.  A.  of 
Highland  Park  Stake,  and  two  children, 
Marjorie  and  Floyd,  President  Jensen 
will  leave  for  Honolulu  in  August. 

478 


-•^i 


WM.  T.   TEW,  JR.  JAMES  P.  JENSEN 

Outgoing  president  of  East   Newly  appointed  president  to 
Central    States    Mission.      East  Central  States  Mission. 


HILTON   A.    ROBERTSON 

Outgoing   president  of 
Japanese    Mission. 


JAY  C.  JENSEN 

Newly  appointed  president  to 

Japanese  Mission. 


CHURCH  SUPPORTS 
RED  CROSS  FUND 

"Packing  their  appeal  to  Latter-day 
Saints  to  contribute  individually  in 
the  campaign  to  aid  Europe's  war- 
stricken  refugees,  the  First  Presidency 
on  behalf  or  the  Church  as  a  whole 
presented  a  substantial  amount  to  the 
fund  being  raised  by  the  American  Red 
Cross.  In  a  letter  to  the  campaign 
chairman  for  Salt  Lake  County,  the 
First  Presidency  made  the  following 
statement : 

We  are  sure  you  are  fully  aware  of  the 
great  contributions  which  the  Church  itself 
and  the  great  bulk  of  its  members  are  mak- 
ing toward  the  Church  Welfare  Plan  to 
alleviate  want  and  misery  here  at  home. 
We  are  continuing  those  efforts  to  the  ut- 
most extent  with  the  belief  that  we  are  re- 
lieving our  government,  federal,  state, 
county,  and  municipality,  from  great  bur- 
dens which  they  otherwise  would  have  to 
carry.  We  must,  therefore,  ask  you  to 
consider  this  contribution  as  the  full  amount 
which  under  the  present  conditions  we  shall 
be  able  to  contribute  to  this  worthy,  indeed 
noble,  cause,  fostered  by  the  American  Red 
Cross. 

SPECIAL  ORGAN  CLASSES 
ORGANIZED 

T  Tnder  the  sponsorship  of  the  General 
*"**■  Church  Music  Committee,  special 
organ  classes  whereby  ward  and  stake 
organists  can  obtain  lessons  on  instru- 
ments in  their  own  wards  are  being  or- 
ganized.   A  minimum  of  three  organists 


foim^On 


is  needed  to  warrant  such  instruction 
by  LaMar  Peterson,  prominent  organ- 
ist. Enlistments  of  interested  organists 
are  made  at  the  McCune  School  of 
Music  and  Art. 

STAKES  ORGANIZED  IN 
WASHINGTON,  DENVER 

HP'wo  new  stakes  of  the  Church,  bring- 
ing  the  number  to  132,  were  organ- 
ized Sunday,  June  30 — one  in  Denver, 
taken  from  the  Western  States  Mis- 
sion, the  other,  to  be  known  as  the 
Capital  Stake,  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
from  the  Eastern  States  Mission. 

Capital  Stake  Officers 

In  the  nation's  capital,  Ezra  T.  Ben- 
son, executive  secretary  of  the  Na- 
tional Council  of  Farmers'  Cooper- 
atives, was  named  stake  president,  with 
Samuel  R.  Carpenter,  assistant  secre- 
tary of  the  Federal  Reserve  Board,  as 
first  counselor,  and  Ernest  L.  Wilkin- 
son, attorney,  as  second  counselor. 
District  president  Abram  H.  Cannon 
and  his  counselors,  Harold  G.  Clark 
and  Gerald  G.  Smith,  who  had  served 
since  August,  1938,  were  released  along 
with  other  officers  of  the  Capital  Dis- 
trict to  give  place  to  the  new  stake  or- 
ganization. Elders  Cannon  and  Smith 
became  members  of  the  stake  high 
council. 

The  Capital  Stake,  the  third  now 
formed  east  of  the  Mississippi,  com- 
prises five  wards  and  one  branch,  to- 
taling a  membership  of  about  three 
thousand: 

Dr.  Edgar  B.  Brossard  of  the  tariff 
commission  was  sustained  as  bishop  of 
the  Washington  Ward,  with  Harold  G. 
Clark  and  Frank  C.  Kimball  as  coun- 
selors, and  J.  Ellis  Overlade  as  ward 
clerk. 

In  the  Chevy  Chase  Ward,  Riley  A. 
Gwynn  will  act  as  bishop.  His  first 
counselor  will  be  Mervin  S.  Bennion. 

Lawrence  H.  Manwaring,  president 
of  former  Arlington  Branch,  will  be 
bishop  of  Arlington  Ward,  Virginia. 
Counselors  have  not  yet  been  selected. 

Officers  of  the  Fairview  (Pennsyl- 
vania) and  Baltimore  (Maryland) 
wards  will  be  named  later. 

President  of  the  Greenbelt  Branch, 
Maryland,  is  Donald  Wagstaff,  with 
C.  Ray  Van  Leuven  and  Louis  Madsen 
as  counselors  and  Harold  Maw,  clerk. 

Officers  of  the  253rd  and  281st  quo- 
rums of  Seventy,  and  of  three  quorums 
of  Elders  were  also  sustained. 

Denver  Stake  Officers 

In  Denver,  Douglas  M.  Todd,  Jr., 
was  named  stake  president,  and  Gil- 
bert E.  Pulsipher  and  A.  H.  Yeates  were 
chosen  first  and  second  counselors,  re- 
spectively. 

Four  wards  in  Denver  and  one  each 
at  Pueblo  and  Fort  Collins,  Colorado; 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,    1940 


and  Laramie  and  Cheyenne,  Wyoming, 
are  included  in  the  new  stake. 

Officiating  at  the  formation  in  Wash- 
ington were  President  Rudger  Clawson 
and  Elder  Albert  E.  Bowen,  and  in 
Denver,  Elders  George  F.  Richards  and 
Joseph  F.  Merrill,  all  of  the  Council  of 
the  Twelve. 

SURVIVOR  OF  MORMON 
IMMIGRANT  SHIP  HONORED 

Oecause  she  is  the  only  person  still 
living  of  those  who  made  the  his- 
toric voyage  on  the  ship  Brooklyn, 
which  on  July  31,  1846,  landed  a  com- 
pany of  early  Latter-day  Saints  under 
the  leadership  of  Sam  Brannan  on  the 
California  coast  at  what  is  now  San 
Francisco,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Bird  Howell, 
94,  will  be  specially  honored  on  August 
4,  when  the  San  Francisco  company  of 
the  Daughters  of  Utah  Pioneers  dedi- 
cates a  bronze  sidewalk  plaque  to  be 
placed  at  the  point  of  the  ship's  landing 
at  the  northeast  corner  of  Broadway 
and  Battery  streets  in  San  Francisco. 
Although  in  good  health  and  taking  a 
keen  interest  in  preparation  for  the 
dedication  services,  Mrs.  Howell  will 
not  personally  be  in  attendance,  but 
will  be  represented  by  members  of  her 
family.  Descendants  of  other  Latter- 
day  Saints  who  made  the  voyage  will 
also  attend. 

On  June  30,  tribute  was  also  paid 
Mrs.  Howell  at  a  special  Franklin 
County  Daughters  of  Pioneers  meeting 
in  Preston  Fourth  Ward  chapel. 

Mrs.  Howell,  three  days  old  when 
her  mother  died,  was  a  child  of  five 
weeks  when  she  was  taken  by  her 
foster  parents,  Daniel  and  Ann  Stark, 
on  the  Brooklyn,  which  sailed  from 
New  York  City  on  February  4,  1846 — 
the  same  day  the  Church  began  its 
exodus  from  Nauvoo — and  arrived  six 
months  later  in  Yerba  Buena  ( now  San 
Francisco)  after  a  tempestuous  round- 
ing of  Cape  Horn.  According  to  ac- 
counts in  contemporary  journals,  Mrs. 
Stark,  who  had  a  son  three  months  old, 
amazed  passengers  at  her  ability  to  care 
for  two  babies  when  food  on  board 
ship,  especially  fresh  milk,  was  scarce. 

Until  she  was  fourteen  years  of  age, 
Mrs.  Howell  lived  with  her  foster  par- 
ents in  Yerba  Buena  and  in  San  Ber- 
nardino, where  a  branch  of  the  Church 
was  established.  She  was  later  brought 
to  Utah,  and  there  joined  her  father, 


■■■■■■■.■■■■'■■■■■■■■■.■.■■.'.'..      :        ;■  ■  ■  ■ 


ELIZABETH    BIRD    HOWELL,    PIONEER 

Edmund  Fuller  Bird,  who  in  the  mean- 
time had  made  the  overland  trek  from 
the  east  by  ox-team. 

In  1861,  she  was  married  to  Henry 
Nelson  Howell,  pioneer  Utah  school 
teacher,  and  made  her  home  success- 
ively in  Franklin,  Bear  Lake,  Oxford 
and  Clifton,  Idaho.  They  were  the 
parents  of  eleven  children.  Mr,  Howell 
died  in  Clifton,  in  1929.  Mrs.  Howell 
resides  today  with  her  daughter,  Amelia 
Crockett,  in  Preston,  Idaho. 

NEW  HOME  OF  DESERET 
INDUSTRIES  AT  2234 
HIGHLAND  DRIVE 

P\uring  the  past  two  years  this  project 
has  furnished  steady  work  for  an 
average  of  55  people.  At  the  present 
time  65  are  on  the  payroll,  and  it  is 
expected  that  100  employees  will  be 
needed  to  manage  the  new  plant  at 
Sugarhouse. 

The  ten  busy  stores  are  open  to  the 
public.  Anyone  may  buy.  The  peo- 
ple who  make  purchases  in  these  stores 
are  making  possible  the  cash  to  pay 
wages  and  expenses  necessary  to  oper- 
ate the  project.  The  more  sold  the  more 
people  can  be  hired. 

An  indication  of  the  economic  value 
of  the  project  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
during  the  two  years  the  Deseret  In- 


NEW  HOME  OF  DESERET   INDUSTRIES  AT  2234    HIGHLAND   DRIVE 


dustries  has  been  in  operation  about 
$45,000.00  has  been  paid  in  "oppor- 
tunity wages."  These  salaries  were 
made  possible  by  the  sale  of  salvage 
merchandise  to  the  public. 

Another  economic  value  of  this  proj- 
ect is  the  fact  that  over  one  hundred 
men  and  women  have  come  and  gone 
to  better  jobs  through  training  and  the 
chance  given  them  at  the  Industries. 

In  the  Deseret  Industries  Stores, 
clothing,  shoes,  furniture,  and  other 
articles  are  furnished  at  reasonable 
prices  to  people  in  all  walks  of  life. 
These  stores  also  attract  people  who 
are  interested  in  rare  china,  old  books, 
antique  furniture,  and  other  useful  and 
reasonably  priced  merchandise. 

This  important  arm  of  the  L.  D.  S. 
Church  Welfare  Plan  combines  social 
service  and  business,  making  work  for 
those  unemployed  and  making  the  pro- 
duct of  work  pay  the  way  of  the  proj- 
ect. 

The  public  is  invited  to  visit  at  any 
time.  Capable  and  courteous  sales- 
people are  on  hand  to  greet  visitors. 

UTAH  PIONEER  TRAILS 
JOINS  NATIONAL  GROUP 

'"Phe  Utah  Pioneer  Trails  and  Land- 
marks  Association  has  become  a 
part  of  the  projected  American  Pioneer 
Trails  Association,  which  is  to  be  na- 
tionwide in  scope.  Actual  organiza- 
tion of  the  national  body  is  planned  for 
the  annual  field  meeting  of  the  Oregon 
Trail  Memorial  Association  to  be  held 
at  Jackson  Hole,  Wyoming,  August 
18  to  20. 

The  Utah  Pioneer  Trails  and  Land- 
marks Association  has  been  affiliated 
with  the  Oregon  Trail  Memorial  Asso- 
ciation because  the  old  Mormon  trail 
for  many  miles  was  identical  with  the 
Oregon  trail.  Under  the  new  plan,  the 
Utah  association  will  retain  its  present 
name  and  in  addition  will  be  recognized 
as  the  Utah  chapter  of  the  American 
Pioneer  Trails  Association.  The  na- 
tional group  plans  to  organize  chapters 
not  previously  connected  with  the 
Oregon  Trail  Memorial  Association. 
George  Albert  Smith  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve  is  president  of  the  Utah 
unit;  George  Q.  Morris,  vice  president; 
and  John  D.  Giles,  executive  secretary. 

Several  markers  between  Fairfield 
and  the  Nevada  line  along  the  Pony 
Express  trail  will  be  dedicated  this 
season,  it  is  contemplated. 

BEAUTIFICATION  PLANS 
AVAILABLE  TO  WARDS 

T)ointing  out  that  planning  must  be 
done  early  enough  to  avoid  over- 
looking preparation  which  may  be  es- 
sential before  actual  planting  can  take 
place,  the  Church  Beautification  Com- 
mittee invites  wards  still  without  land- 
scape   plans    to    make    application   at 
once.    Plans,  drawn  up  by  the  Church 
landscape  architect  to  suit  particular 
needs,  are  furnished  to  each  ward  free 
of  charge   by  the   Presiding   Bishop's 
Office.    Preparation  must  be  made  now 
(Continued  on  page  484) 
479 


fidiitfuaL 


ANNOUNCEMENT    OF    POLICY    CON- 
CERNING   THE    INCORPORATION    OF 
GENEALOGICAL  MEETINGS  INTO  THE 
SUNDAY  SCHOOLS 

At  the  last  April  conference  the  First  Presi- 
"*"*  dency  announced  that  the  auxiliary  associa- 
tions were  reconsidering  their  whole  field,  to  see 
what  might  be  done  by  them  to  meet,  so  far  as 
possible,  the  unusual  needs  of  the  times,  as  well  as 
more  clearly  to  define  their  field  of  activity,  to 
cut  out  duplications  and  overlapping,  and  to  elimi- 
nate the  increasing  waste  in  effort,  time,  and  funds. 
The  First  Presidency  are  now  able  to  announce 
that  the  auxiliaries  have  taken  the  first  step  in 
this  direction  by  providing  for  the  incorporation 
into  the  curriculum  of  the  Sunday  Schools  the 
work  which  has  been  heretofore  done  at  the 
weekly  genealogical  meetings,  the  work  in  the 
Sunday  Schools  to  include  all  ages.  This  con- 
solidation will  do  away  with  the  weekly  genea- 
logical meetings.  It  has  been  brought  about 
through  the  hearty  cooperation  of  the  authorities 
of  the  Sunday  School  and  of  the  Genealogical 
Society. 


^flamjoWL 


HPhe  current  connotations  of  the  word  "glamour" 
are  sufficiently  strong  and  universal  as  to  be 
well  understood.  And  there  is  reason  for  devoting 
editorial  space  to  it:  Many  influences  that  leave 
their  daily  impression  with  us,  and  which  are  tol- 
erated in  the  name  of  glamour,  are  giving  our  chil- 
dren distorted  and  false  ideas  of  life. 

Within  the  sober  honesty  of  our  hearts,  we  know 
what  we  would  like  our  children  to  become,  and  we 
know  what  the  Lord,  our  Father  in  Heaven,  would 
like  them  to  become;  but  we  so  often  work  at  cross 
purposes  with  our  ideals  and  convictions.  Col- 
lectively, if  not  individually,  we  thwart  our  own 
ends  by  allowing  ourselves  and  our  families  to 
come  under  the  daily  influence  of  things  that  are 
contrary  to  our  aims  and  ideals — and  contrary  to 
wholesome  reality. 

As  to  what  constitutes  smartness  and  desirability, 
think  what  impressions  our  young  people  are  get- 
ting from  the  average  place  of  entertainment  they 
attend;  from  the  average  magazine  they  read;  from 
the  average  "glamour"  advertisement  displayed; 
from  the  average  auditory  appeal  of  some  com- 
mercial agencies  and  certain  questionable  interests! 

Uncounted  thousands  of  stories,  scripts,  and 
scenarios  that  make  up  the  daily  diet  of  the  on- 
coming generation,  center  around  the  activities  of 
families  who  live  in  homes  of  mansion-like  char- 
acter; where  the  work  is  done  by  uniformed  ser- 
vants; where  people  go  to  and  come  from  cocktail 
parties  in  numerous  sleek  cars;  where  men  and 
women  smoke  and  drink  together,  and  solve  mar- 
ital difficulties  by  discarding  the  "wrong"  man,  and 
beginning  over  again  with,  presumably,  the  "right" 
man;  where  children  are  precocious,  worldly  coun- 
terparts of  their  parents;  and  where  there  are  no 
financial  worries  except  in  a  big,  extravagant  way, 
and  no  objectives  beyond  the  solving  of  immediate, 
unconventional  social  situations. 


How  many  such  plots  and  scenes  and  situations 
can  our  children  see  without  wondering  why  we 
cannot  or  do  not  live  that  way?  (Things  always 
turn  out  so  beautifully  in  these  made-to-order 
stories. ) 

It  has  almost  reached  the  point  where  our  girls, 
if  they  were  to  believe  what  they  see,  what  they 
read,  and  what  they  hear,  might  be  led  to  suppose 
that  they  have  no  chance  for  charm,  social  ac- 
ceptance, or  happiness  unless  they  use  a  particular 
brand  of  lipstick,  smoke  a  particular  kind  of  cigar- 
ette, indulge  in  a  certain  beauty  bath. 

It  has  almost  reached  the  point  where  our  boys, 
if  they  were  to  believe  what  they  see,  what  they 
read,  or  what  they  hear,  would  be  induced  to  think 
that  they  have  no  chance  for  popularity,  athletic 
achievement,  or  success  unless  they  use  a  certain 
kind  of  hairdressing,  or  prefer  a  specified  brand  of 
gin,  or  wear  a  particular  cut  of  clothes. 

Such  is  the  nature  of  the  influences  which  daily 
blare  out  their  questionable  and  conscienceless  ap- 
peals to  our  youth,  on  the  highway,  in  the  show- 
house  and  other  places  of  public  entertainment,  in 
current  periodicals,  and  in  the  home — through  the 
various  modern  means  of  mass  communication. 

For  a  price,  words,  often  regardless  of  their 
truth,  are  put  into  the  mouths  of  celebrities  and 
public  heroes,  and  even  some  physicians  and  other 
professional  people,  to  induce  the  impressionable 
members  of  society  to  become  addicted  to  things 
that  are  detrimental  to  health,  morals,  and  decency; 
to  buy  things  they  cannot  afford;  to  adopt  stand- 
ards that  cannot  be  countenanced  or  maintained; 
and  to  brood  upon  situations  and  embrace  attitudes 
that  cannot  lead  to  happiness  or  normal  living.  And 
thus  has  glamour  become  a  business,  a  profession, 
and  an  obsession. 

These  things  we  may  rebel  at  individually,  but 
collectively  we  permit  them  to  continue — because  of 
the  profit  motive;  because  special  organized  in- 
terests are  aggressive  and  powerful;  and  because 
we  have  become  so  accustomed  to  them  that  we 
fail  to  see  what  they  are  doing  to  us,  collectively 
and  individually,  actually  and  potentially. 

It  is  time  our  young  people  should  know,  and 
we  should  see  they  do  know,  that  these  things  are 
not  life.  They  are  the  cheapest  counterfeits,  and 
have  nothing  in  common  with  intrinsic  or  perma- 
nent values.  It  is  time  our  youth  should  know  the 
motives  that  are  behind  these  enticing  displays. 
They  should  know,  too,  that  it's  smart  not  to  be 
deceived.  It's  smart  and  modern  to  be  wise  and 
intelligent,  and  above  duping.  It's  smart  to  be 
good,  and  beautiful,  and  charming,  and  popular, 
and  socially  acceptable — but  it  is  frightfully  stupid 
to  think  that  all  these  come  by  the  use  of  things 
that  enslave,  that  break  our  health,  that  destroy 
our  natural  charm,  or  that  we  cannot  afford. 

And  so  we  say  to  the  young  people  of  the  Church, 
and  of  the  nation:  Don't  be  fooled  by  the  glamour 
girls  and  the  glamour  boys.  Don't  be  deceived  by 
false  standards  and  false  practices,  no  matter  how 
enticingly  they  are  presented.  Don't  flit  about  in 
quest  of  glamour.  Reach  for  the  real  essence  of 
life.  It's  smart  to  be  beautiful,  and  charming,  and 
accomplished,  and  socially  acceptable — but  it's  not 
so  smart  to  be  a  dupe — to  be  deceived  by  the  parade 
of  palaver. — R.  L.  E. 


480 


Evidences  and 
reconciliations 

xxvuL.   Should.  IOsl  ^oto 
Tl/hvisidu  mc  Sumxiai^l 

•"This  is  an  important  question.  By  divine  decree, 
supported  by  human  experience,  one  day  in 
seven,  the  Sabbath,  is  set  apart  for  a  special  pur- 
pose. If  the  use  does  not  conform  to  the  true  pur- 
pose of  the  Sabbath,  harm  will  result. 

That  the  Sabbath  is  an  important  institution  is 
clear  from  the  emphasis  placed  upon  it  by  the  Lord, 
as  well  as  by  all  who  have  labored  for  human  wel- 
fare. Speaking  to  Moses  concerning  the  creation 
of  the  earth,  the  Lord  said,  "And  on  the  seventh 
day  I,  God,  ended  my  work,  and  all  things  which  I 
had  made;  and  I  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all 
my  work  .  .  .  and  I,  God,  blessed  the  seventh  day, 
and  sanctified  it."  Later  on,  when  Israel  was 
camped  near  Sinai,  the  solemn  commandment  came 
to  them  from  the  Lord,  "Remember  the  Sabbath 
day,  to  keep  it  holy."  The  same  message  was  given 
by  the  Lord  to  His  Latter-day  people.  In  harmony 
with  this  command,  most  peoples  on  earth,  differing 
widely  in  religious  beliefs,  have  found  it  beneficial 
to  use  one  day  for  purposes  different  from  those 
of  the  other  days  of  the  week. 

There  are  two  marks  of  the  Sabbath,  as  set  forth 
in  the  divine  command.  It  should  be  a  day  of  rest; 
and  it  should  be  kept  holy.  These  two  require- 
ments, coming  with  such  emphasis,  must  have 
special  significance  in  the  life  of  man. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  rest?  Certainly,  it  does 
not  mean  idleness.  To  sit  quietly  throughout  a  day 
with  folded  hands  may  be  anything  but  restful. 
Rather,  it  may  be  said  that  a  true  rest  is  a  change 
from  the  occupations  which  fill  our  lives.  The  life 
processes  are  always  going  on;  therefore  there  is 
no  period  of  complete  quiescence.  However,  one 
or  another  of  these  processes  may  be  emphasized 
or  shifted  from  time  to  time,  thus  producing  a  restful 
sensation.  On  the  Sabbath,  therefore,  one  should 
refrain  from  doing  the  work  to  which  the  other  days 
of  the  week  are  usually  given,  and  devote  himself 
to  other  activities,  which,  necessarily,  must  conform 
to  the  requirement  that  the  day  shall  be  kept  holy. 

When  is  the  Sabbath  kept  holy?  When  we 
exchange  the  work  and  traffic  and  recreation  of 
week  days  for  the  direct  worship  of  the  Lord.  The 
mind  is  then  turned  to  catch  and  understand  the 
principles  and  practices  of  the  Gospel.  We  spe- 
cialize on  that  day  in  thinking  of  spiritual  realities, 
and  in  doing  things  of  a  spiritual  nature.  It  be- 
comes a  day  of  interpretation  of  the  meaning  of  the 
labors  of  our  week  days.  When  the  Sabbath  is  thus 
kept  holy,  it  becomes  not  only  a  rest,  refreshing 
us  for  the  coming  week,  but  it  becomes  also  a  day 
of  great  interest.  It  is  a  shallow  mind  that  does 
not  welcome  the  opportunity  to  think  and  talk,  at 
peace,  about  the  many  sparkling  facets  of  life. 

The   sacred   purpose  of  the  Sabbath  and  the 


methods  of  accomplishing  it,  have  been  set  forth 
clearly  in  latter-day  revelation,  "And  that  thou 
mayest  keep  thyself  unspotted  from  the  world,  thou 
shalt  go  to  the  house  of  prayer  and  offer  up  thy 
sacraments  upon  my  holy  day;  for  verily  this  is  a 
day  appointed  unto  you  to  rest  from  your  labors, 
and  to  pay  thy  devotions  unto  the  Most  High;  .  .  . 
But  remember  that  on  this,  the  Lord's  day,  thou 
shalt  offer  thy  oblations  and  thy  sacraments  unto 
the  Most  High,  confessing  thy  sins  unto  thy  breth- 
ren, and  before  the  Lord.  And  on  this  day  thou 
shalt  do  none  other  thing,  only  let  thy  food  be 
prepared  with  singleness  of  heart  that  thy  fasting 
may  be  perfect,  or  in  other  words,  that  thy  joy  may 
be  full.  Verily,  this  is  fasting  and  prayer,  or  in 
other  words,  rejoicing  and  prayer." 

That  is,  on  the  Sabbath  day  every  person  shall 
( 1 )  attend  meetings,  ( 2 )  fast,  if  desired,  and  always 
if  it  is  a  regular  fast  day,  ( 3 )  partake  of  the  sacra- 
ment, (4)  bear  testimony  of  the  Lord's  truth  and 
goodness,  (5)  make  right  any  misunderstandings 
with  his  fellow  men,  and  ( 6 )  do  all  things  with  a 
"singleness  of  heart,"  toward  the  divine  purpose 
of  the  Sabbath  day.  If  these  things  be  done  in  the 
proper  spirit,  the  Sabbath  becomes  a  day  of  "re- 
joicing and  prayer."  And  it  should  be  noted  that 
the  commandment  is  for  all  members  of  the  Church. 

Certainly,  under  this  divine  commandment,  it 
would  be  greatly  out  of  order  to  plan  any  activity 
at  a  time  that  would  compete  with  Sabbath  meetings 
regularly  established  by  the  Church.  The  periods 
set  aside  for  Church  meetings  ( Priesthood,  Sunday 
School,  and  Sacrament  meetings)  should  be  jeal- 
ously kept  for  these  purposes  and  none  other.  Per- 
sons who  for  personal  reasons,  such  as  the  duties 
devolving  upon  the  mother  with  babies,  remain 
away  from  one  of  these  regular  meetings  of  the 
Church,  should,  nevertheless  be  in  full  harmony 
with  the  worshipful  spirit  of  the  Lord's  holy  day. 
Likewise,  whatever  is  done  between  meetings, 
whether  reading,  conversing,  walking  amidst  the 
beauties  of  nature,  or  engaged  in  other  interesting 
activities  easily  set  up,  should  be  in  harmony  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Sabbath.  When  this  is  done,  a  life- 
giving  satisfaction  comes  from  Sabbaths  well  kept. 
Those  who  have  not  the  habit  of  Sabbath-keeping 
are  missing  much  of  genuine  worth. 

Now,  perhaps,  the  question  that  captions  this 
writing  may  be  answered. 

Latter-day  Saints  receive  with  joy  every  new 
gift  of  science  and  art.  For  example,  the  radio  is 
used  to  make  speaking  more  effective  in  meeting 
houses  and  to  broadcast  Gospel  sermons  to  the 
world.    The  gift  of  the  radio  is  cherished. 

Likewise,  the  motion  picture  is  hailed  as  a  pos- 
sible beneficent  power  among  men.  It  is  today 
furnishing  recreation  at  a  cost  within  the  reach  of 
the  masses  of  humankind.  In  many  parts  of  the 
world  the  inexpensive  motion  picture  has  been  a 
notable  factor  in  bettering  men's  lives,  and  their 
outlook  upon  the  lives  of  others.  The  motion  pic- 
ture is,  also,  a  cherished  possession. 

Nevertheless,  every  gift  to  man  may  be  used  for 
good  or  evil  ends.  Untruth  may  be  broadcast  over 
the  radio,  and  ugliness  exhibited  by  the  motion  pic- 
ture. The  use  to  which  a  gift  is  put,  may  be  more 
important  than  the  gift  itself.    (Concluded  on  page  511) 


481 


How  Firm  a 


The  unimpaired  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is,  in  Latter-day  Saint  belief,  the 
deepest  and  strongest  foundation  for  a  happy  life  ...  for  the  security  and 
progress  of  the  individual,  for  the  harmony  and  progress  of  the  world. 

Christ's  true  message  is  the  base  upon  which  the  Church  is  building  and 
operating  Brigham  Young  University.  It  is  the  rock  upon  which  character  and 
scholarship  may  be  erected  with  safety. 

The  latest  building  to  be  added  to  the  B.  Y.  U.  campus  is  the  splendid  re- 
ligious and  social  center  now  being  completed  under  the  Church  Welfare 
Plan.  With  its  spacious  assembly  hall  for  religious  exercises,  its  classrooms, 
its  rooms  and  equipment  for  social  development  and  wholesome  recreation,  it 
will  provide  enlarged  facilities  for  training  young  people  in  the  vital  and  per- 
manent things  of  life. 

Significant  also  is  the  expansion  this  year  of  the  former  Religious  Educa- 
tion Department  into  a  Division  of  Religion  with  the  four  departments  of  Bible 
and  Modern  Scripture,  Church  History,  Church  Organization  and  Administra- 
tion, and  Theology  and  Religious  Philosophy. 

Since  the  aim  at  Brigham  Young  University  is  to  offer  well-rounded  prep- 
aration for  a  useful  life,  courses  are  given  leading  to  success  in  scores  of  occu- 
pations. In  the  five  colleges,  there  are  thirty-seven  departments  offering  more 
than  1600  courses  of  instruction. 

The  University  is  specifically  organized  to  train  young  men  and  women  for 
lay  leadership;  to  give  them,  that  is,  occupational  efficiency  as  well  as  the 
power  and  the  desire  to  serve  spiritually. 


This  large  religious  and  social  center  now  being  completed  on  University  Hill  reflects  the  aims  and  the  progress  of  the 
institution.  In  the  last  decade  enrollment  has  mounted  from  1457  to  2894.  An  increasing  number  of  graduates  go  forth  prepared 
to  establish  themselves  on  a  sound  economic  basis  and  to  serve  spiritually. 


Brigham  You 


PROVO, 


"SCHOLARSHIP    -SPIRI1 


Foundation 


Organization  of  B.  Y.  U. 

Colleges  of 

APPLIED  SCIENCE  COMMERCE 

ARTS  AND  SCIENCES  EDUCATION 

FINE  ARTS 

Divisions  of 

RELIGION  RESEARCH  EXTENSION 

GRADUATE  SCHOOL 
SUMMER  SCHOOL 

Elementary  and  Secondary  Training  Schools  are  maintained  in  connection 
with  the  College  of  Education. 

DEPARTMENTS  OF  INSTRUCTION 

ACCOUNTING  AND  BUSINESS  ADMINISTRATION    HORTICULTURE  AND  LANDSCAPE 

AGRICULTURAL  ECONOMICS  ARCHITECTURE 

AGRONOMY  JOURNALISM 

ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  LIBRARY 

ART  MARKETING 

BACTERIOLOGY  MATHEMATICS 

BIBLE  AND  MODERN  SCRIPTURE  MECHANIC  ARTS 

BOTANY  MODERN  AND  CLASSICAL  LANGUAGES 

CHEMISTRY  MUSIC 

CHURCH  HISTORY  OFFICE  PRACTICE 

CHURCH  ORGANIZATION  AND  PHYSICAL  EDUCATION 

ADMINISTRATION  PHYSICS 

ECONOMICS  POLITICAL  SCIENCE 

EDUCATIONAL  ADMINISTRATION  PHILOSOPHY  OF  EDUCATION 

ELEMENTARY  EDUCATION  PSYCHOLOGY 

FINANCE  and  banking  secondary  education 

GEOLOGY  AND  GEOGRAPHY  SOCIOLOGY 

HISTORY  THEOLOGY  AND  RELIGIOUS  PHILOSOPHY 

HOME  ECONOMICS  ZOOLOGY  AND  ENTOMOLOGY 

AUTUMN  QUARTER 
Registration — September  20, 21,  and  23 

Nationally  Accredited 
No  Out-of-State  Fees 


For  catalog,  address  The  President 


ng  University 


UTAH 

UALITY  —  CHARACTER'' 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,    1940 


The  Church  Moves  On 

(Continued  from  page  479) 

for  fall  and  early  spring  planting. 
"Please  do  not  wait  until  the  time  is 
about  ready  to  do  actual  work  and  then 
expect  us  to  do  the  impossible  by  being 
in  many  places  at  the  same  time,"  is 
the  plea  of  the  committee. 

ROLL  CALL- 
MISSIONARIES  RETURN 
FROM  FIELDS  OF  LABOR 

Touring  June,  some  fifty-five  young 
^  men  and  women,  newly  released 
and  en  route  home  after  serving  in 
various  mission  fields,  stopped  at  the 
Church  Office  Building  long  enough  to 
sign  the  big  register  labeled  "Mission- 
aries Released"  and  to  be  interviewed 
briefly  by  members  of  the  Council  of 
the  Twelve. 

All  missionaries  honorably  released 
during  June  have  not  yet  been  reported 
to  the  office  of  Franklin  J.  Murdock, 
mission  secretary  for  the  Church,  nor 
have  all  those  released  paid  the  tradi- 
tional call  at  headquarters.  Pending 
the  monthly  compilation  of  the  com- 
plete list  of  missionaries  released  and 
returned  home,  the  Era  will  publish  in 
this  department,  month  by  month,  the 
"Roll  Call"  of  the  men  and  women  who 
have  completed  their  mission  term  of 
undivided  service  to  the  Church.  The 
June  honor  roll  follows : 

From  the  East  Central  States:  Carlton 
Chester  Cope,  Thatcher,  Arizona;  Norman 
S.  Hoyal,  Alhambra,  California;  Orville  W. 
Allen,  Thatcher,  Arizona;  Owen  Lee  Cox, 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho;  Jerald  G.  Rowan,  Provo, 
Utah. 

Eastern  States:  William  H.  Bousfield, 
Santa  Monica,  California — also  served  in 
British  Mission;  Vernon  Sorensen,  Riverton, 
Utah;  William  Capener,  Salt  Lake  City. 

Central  States:  Tone  Blackburn,  Order- 
ville,  Utah— also  served  in  Netherlands 
Mission;  James  Blaine  Blake,  St.  Anthony, 
Idaho — also  served  in  Netherlands;  E.  Jos- 
eph Wirthlin,  Walnut  Park,  California — 
also  served  in  West  German  Mission;  Jesse 
A.  Hurd,  Auburn,  Wyoming. 

North  Central  States:  R.  Sterling  Evans, 
Lehi,  Utah — also  served  in  East  German 
Mission;  Florence  W.  Oscarson,  Pleasant 
Grove,  Utah — also  served  in  Swedish  Mis- 
sion; Alexia  Nelson,  Woods  Cross,  Utah. 

New  England  States:  Merrill  B.  Rob- 
inson, Oakley,  Idaho;  John  E.  Gillespie, 
Jr. — also  served  in  British  Mission. 

Southern  States:  Harold  Lee  Allen,  Los 
Angeles,  California — also  served  in  British 
Mission;  Clifford  S.  Blackham,  Moroni, 
Utah;  Clinton  McDaniel,  Salt  Lake  City; 
W.  Max  Carter,  Los  Angeles;  Farren  Niel- 
sen, Provo,  Utah;  Ralph  J.  Hill,  Sacramento, 
California;  Eldon  J.  West,  Smithfield,  Utah; 
Woodrow  E.  Nelson,  Woods  Cross,  Utah 
— also  served  in  Swedish  Mission;  Montie 
Snow,  Castle  Gate,  Utah;  Eugene  C.  Geert- 
sen,  Salt  Lake — also  served  in  Norwegian 
Mission. 

Northern  States:  Beulah  Ricks,  Rexburg, 
Idaho;  Richard  H.  Ray,  Mesa,  Arizona; 
Vernonah  Mendenhall,  Thatcher,  Idaho — 
also  served  in  Netherlands  Mission. 

Northwestern  States:  Zelma  Hollinger, 
Ursine,  Nevada. 

Texas  Mission:  Ira  J.  Burton,  Midvale, 
Utah. 

California  Mission:      David  W.  Knight, 

484 


MISSIONARIES  LEAVING  FOR  THE  FIELD  FROM  THE  SALT  LAKE   MISSIONARY   HOME 
ARRIVED  JUNE  17,  1940— DEPARTED  JUNE  27,   1940 

First  row,  left  to  right:  Gerald  Morrill  Stout,  Martha  Zinn,  Virginia  Christopherson,  Marian  Whttaker, 
Bess  Ward,  Merene  Redd,  Barbara  S.  Seamons,  Meda  Briggs,  and  Harmon  Farr. 

Second  row,  left  to  right:  Max  L.  Jensen,  Marvin  C.  Backer,  Lenore  Sparks,  Elaine  Jensen,  Ruth  Korn, 
Sylvia  Probst,  Permelia  E.  Batty,  Thelma  G.  Kendall,  President  D.  B.  Colton,  and  Dean  L.  Bunderson. 

Third  row,  left  to  right:  Edward  Cornelius,  Eldon  A.  Garner,  Eli  Vernon  Swain,  Fern  Moore,  Clara  J. 
Montgomery,  Norma  E.  Weenig,  Verde  Washburn,  Norma  Jensen,  Orvin  Dee  Terry,  II,  James  J.  Hill,  and  Von  T. 
Tenney. 

Fourth  row,  left  to  right:  Orien  H.  Lamreaux,  Osborne  N.  Smith,  Lloyd  M.  Turnbow,  George  L.  Cummings, 
Ernest  Taylor,  J.  Dewain  Le  Fevre,  Lamont  L.  Yates,  Elvan  E.  Hunter,  and  Alma  Kruger. 

Fifth  row,  left  to  right:  Junius  Joseph  Reed,  George  N.  Sowards,  Wilford  M.  Gurr,  Jr.,  Glen  W.  Clarke, 
Vaughn  Ellsworth,  Clarence  M.  Geslison,  Rex  F.  Hill,  Fred  E.  Guymon,  Paul  W.  Batt,  J.  William  Grant,  Edon 
Kloepfer,  and  Orin  H.  Stutznegger. 

Sixth  row,  left  to  right:  Floyd  D.  Bradshaw,  Quenten  J.  Taylor,  Jay  M.  Palmer,  Richard  E.  Jacobsen, 
Evan  C.  Bair,  R.  Sherman  Hunton,  Wm.  Julius  Johnson,  Eldon  E.  Sill,  M.  Clark  Newell,  and  Marvin  Wower. 

Seventh  row,  left  to  right:  Melvin  Tucker,  Franklin  West,  Jr.,  Ellis  R.  Packer,  George  Gregory  Doyle,  III, 
Bruce  Radcliffe,  Lloyd  Graham,  Gardner  H.  Russell,  Ross  E.  Nielsen,  Otho  E.  Bagwell,  Max  Gentry,  and  Vaughn 
Drury. 

Eighth  row,  left  to  right:  Chester  M.  Gilgen,  Winsor  Bennett,  Montell  Bird,  Meade  Steadman,  Warren 
Jackson,  Roland  R.  Wright,  Lionel  M.  Farr,  Phil  Erwin  Davis,  Odes  L.  Record,  and  Paul  E.  Karpowitz. 

Ninth  row,  left  to  right:  Neuman  C.  Perry,  Henry  M.  Grether,  Jr.,  Earl  Clark  Goates,  Lester  Hewlett, 
Anthony  Snow,  Eugene  J.  Hawkes,  Harold  Wallace  Gunn,  W.  Kenneth  Huish,  and  Creston  D.  Woodard. 

Tenth  row,  left  to  right:    Scott  Earl  Hooton,  Victor  K.  Cummings,  James  Cannon,  and  James  W.  McConkie. 


Charleston,  West  Virginia;  Everett  M. 
Wray,  Jerome,  Idaho;  J.  C.  Cahoon, 
Cardston,  Alberta,  Canada;  Andrew  E.  An- 
derson, Salt  Lake  City;  Merlin  S.  Hunts- 
man, Enterprise,  Utah;  Opal  Trejo,  St. 
David,  Arizona;  Michael  A.  Seat,  Riverside, 
California;  Harold  G.  Wood,  Boise,  Idaho; 
Frank  L.  Shafer,  Sacramento,  California; 
Mark  C.  Child,  Clearfield,  Utah. 

Spanish-American  Mission:  Lester  R. 
Porter,  Joseph  City,  Arizona;  Gordon  B. 
Miner,  Provo,  Utah;  David  O.  Maxfield, 
Salt  Lake  City;  Clementina  Brown,  Chi- 
huahua, Mexico. 

Brazilian  Mission:  Harmon  A.  Barton, 
Kaysville,  Utah. 

Canadian  Mission:  James  A.  Giauque, 
Salt  Lake  City;  Sterling  G.  Jacobs,  Provo, 
Utah. 

Samoan  Mission:  Preston  Andersen, 
Howell,  Utah. 

Hawaiian  Mission:  Harold  Sabin,  Mesa, 
Arizona;  Leon  J.  Zollinger,  Logan,  Utah. 

Tahitian  Mission:  Uel  C.  Hunting,  Ver- 
nal, Utah;  LaVar  C.  Chapman,  Mesa, 
Arizona. 

NEW  BISHOPS  TAKE 
OVER  WARD  DUTIES 
"Dishops  of  wards  and  presiding  Eld- 
ers  of  branches  recently  appointed 
include  the  following: 

Tabiona  Ward,  Duchesne  Stake,  Kenneth 
S.  Carlile  appointed  to  succeed  Alden  J. 
Turnbow. 

Preston  Sixth  Ward,  Franklin  Stake, 
Ezra  J.  Corbridge  succeeds  Reed  L.  Hart. 

Burdett  Branch,  Lethbridge  Stake,  Elder 
James  Ashton  deceased.  Albert  Torrie  act- 
ing. 

Ogden  Sixteenth  Ward,  North  Weber 
Stake,  Curtis  H.  Marshall  succeeds  John 
Gibson. 

Fifteenth  Ward,  Riverside  Stake,  John 
Eldridge  Martin  succeeds  Fred  Kasteler. 

Twenty-eighth  Ward,  Riverside  Stake, 
Robert  Leatham  Bridge  succeeds  Alfred  P. 
A.  Glad. 

Ophir  Branch,  Tooele  Stake,  Luke  S. 
Johnson  appointed  presiding  Elder  to  suc- 
ceed John  C.  Zentner. 

Tooele  Fifth  Ward,  Tooele  Stake,  Wil- 
liam Bevan  Anderson  appointed. 


WELFARE  PEOPLE  STUDY 
CANNING  METHODS 

T  Tnder  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Hazel 
*"■'*•  Hardy  of  Heber,  appointed  super- 
visor of  Church  Welfare  canning  cen- 
ters, approved  methods  of  canning  were 
discussed  and  demonstrated  recently 
before  approximately  thirty  directors 
of  Welfare  canning  "plants  in  Utah, 
Idaho,  and  Nevada.  The  two-day 
course  was  conducted  at  the  Central 
Bishop's  Storehouse  in  Salt  Lake. 

The  course  was  instituted  by  the 
canning  and  processing  committee  oper- 
ating under  the  General  Committee  in 
the  Church  Welfare  Program.  The 
committee's  reorganized  membership 
includes  Verner  O.  Hewlett  as  chair- 
man; Dell  B.  Stringham,  vice  chairman; 
Sterling  H.  Nelson,  charged  with  gath- 
ering in  and  storing  of  grains  and  pro- 
duce; Franklin  D.  Ashdown,  represent- 
ing producers  of  fruits,  vegetables,  and 
foodstuffs  to  be  canned  or  processed; 
Roscoe  W.  Eardley,  Church  Store- 
house Supervisor;  and  Elmo  H.  Lund, 
secretary. 

The  committee  devotes  itself  primar- 
ily to  food  preparation  at  the  canning 
and  processing  centers,  but  it  also  seeks 
to  give  counsel  in  the  matter  of  food 
production,  to  assure  adequate  quantity 
and  necessary  variety  for  a  well-bal- 
anced diet. 

GRAND  HOMECOMING 
AWAITS  FORMER  CACHE 
VALLEY  RESIDENTS 

**T"\ear  Friend:  After  many  years'  ab- 
■J— *  sence  from  the  most  beautiful  valley 
in  the  world,  we  are  inviting  you  to  return 
for  a  grand  reunion  to  be  held  in  Logan, 
Utah,  August  3  and  4,  1940,  on  the  Taber- 
nacle square  and  in  the  Tabernacle  building. 
You  will  meet  many  old  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances whom  you  may  have  thought 
you  would  never  see  again.   .  .  ." 

( Concluded  on  page  499 ) 


;Mo  woman  having  a  gas  or  electric 

^  range  equipped  With  an  oven  con- 
trol or  regulator  has  used  her  range  to 
the  fullest  extent  until  she  has  tried 
oven  canning,  and  I  venture  to  say  she'll 
never  can  her  fruits  any  other  way  after 
she  has  once  tried  this  fascinating  new 
method. 

First — Because  it's  so  much  easier. 

Second — The  fruits  retain  their  nat- 
ural flavor. 

Third — Oven  canning  emphasizes  the 
natural  coloring  of  the  product. 

Fourth — -No  muss,  less  work,  and 
more  attractive  finished  products,  and  a 
cool  kitchen,  not  to  mention  cool  home- 
maker. 

With  such  an  array  of  proved  facts 
before  us  it  is  certainly  a  temptation  to 
try  this  new  method  right  away.  Re- 
member, though,  that  you  cannot  use 
this  method  satisfactorily  unless  you 
have  an  oven  control  or  regulator  on 
your  stove  or  unless  you  buy  a  portable 
oven  thermometer  to  set  inside  your 
oven.  The  latter  may  be  purchased  at 
your  department  or  hardware  stores. 
Oil,  gasoline,  wood,  and  coal  ranges 
cannot  be  used  satisfactorily  for  this 
new  method  as  there  is  no  way  to 
regulate  an  even  flow  of  heat  at  a  fixed 
temperature. 

The  secret  of  successful  canning  lies 
in  the  temperature.  250°  has  been 
proved  to  be  the  most  satisfactory  for 
oven  canning,  after  years  of  research 
and  experimentation. 

How  shall  we  proceed  when  we  oven 
can? 

The  careful  homemaker  lines  up  all 
of  her  equipment  first.  Jars  are  carefully 
inspected  to  see  that  there  are  no  nicks, 
cracks,  or  sharp  edges.  Thoroughly 
cleanse  jars  with  hot  water. 

Make  certain  to  select  fresh,  firm 
(not  over-ripe)  products,  and  grade 
according  to  size  and  ripeness. 

Prepare  product  in  accordance  with 
recipe. 

Pack  product  into  clean  jars  to  not 
more  than  one-half  inch  of  top.  Add 
syrup  to  within  \y2  inches  of  top  of 
jar,  or  if  using  plain  water,  to  Y2  inch 
of  top  of  jar. 

Syrup  expands  during  processing; 
that  is  why  you  must  never  fill  jars 
higher  than  \]/z  inches  of  the  top  with 
syrup.  (Directions  for  making  syrups 
axe  given  at  the  end  of  this  article.) 

With  a  clean,  damp  cloth  wipe  top 
of  jar  free  of  all  seeds,  pulp,  syrup, 
etc.,  and  also  wipe  threads  and  neck  of 
jar  clean  so  as  to  prevent  sticky  screw 
bands  which  are  hard  to  remove. 

If  using  the  "self-sealing"  type  of  jar, 
place  sterilized  lid  on  jar  with  sealing 
composition  next  to  glass  and  screw 
band  firmly  tight.  By  "firmly  tight"  we 
mean  as  tight  as  you  can  screw  the  band 
without  using  undue  exertion  or 
wrenches. 


LET'S  CAN   FRUITS  AND 
TOMATOES  THE  OVEN 
WAY 

Cool  as  a  cucumber 

On  the  hottest  day! 
Because  she  cans  her  fruit 

By  the  new  oven  way. 


If  using  rubber  ring  jars,  adjust  rub- 
ber ring,  screw  cap  down  tight  and 
reverse  Y  turn,  or  if  using  glass-top 
jars,  place  the  upper  bail  in  position 
across  the  lid  and  leave  lower  bail  up. 

Set  jars  on  rack  in  COLD  oven, 
taking  care  that  jars  do  not  touch  each 
other  or  the  sides  of  your  oven.  This 
permits  circulation  of  heat  between  jars. 

Light  oven,  set  regulator  at  250°, 
start  counting  processing  time  when 
oven  is  lighted. 

Temperature  should  never  exceed 
250°.  Higher  temperatures  will  cause 
liquid  to  boil  too  hard  and  evaporate, 
and  your  syrup  will  boil  over,  thus  mak- 
ing an  untidy  looking  oven  as  well  as 
jars. 

Process  required  length  of  time.  For 
quart  jars:  Apricots,  berries,  (except 
strawberries)  currants,  grapes,  cher- 
ries, peaches,  plums,  rhubarb,  68  min- 
utes at  250°.  Apples,  pears,  quinces, 
and  tomatoes  are  processed  75  minutes 
at  250°.  Figs  and  pineapples  are  pro- 
cessed 90  minutes  at  250°.  For  pint 
jars,  reduce  time  one-third. 

As  soon  as  processing  period  is  com- 
plete remove  jars  from  oven.  Do  not 
tighten  screw  bands  on  the  "self-seal- 
ing" type,  but  set  right  side  up  to  cool 
on  several  thicknesses  of  cloth.  If  us- 
ing rubber  ring  jars,  screw  cap  down 
tight  immediately.  To  complete  seal 
on  wire-clamp  glass-top  jars,  push 
lower  bail  down  against  neck  of  jar. 

Never  turn  the  "self-sealing"  jars 
upside  down  for  they  seal  as  they  cool, 
and  do  not  screw  the  bands  down  after 
jars  are  cold  and  sealed.  Rubber  ring 
jars  may  be  turned  upside  down  to  test 
for  leaks  after  they  are  cold. 


CONDUCTED  BY  MARBA  C.  JOSEPHSON 

To  test  the  "self-sealing"  jars  for 
seal,  when  jars  are  cold  take  a  spoon 
and  gently  tap  the  lids.  If  properly 
sealed  they  will  give  a  clear  ringing  note 
and  be  slightly  concave  (curved  in- 
wardly) caused  by  the  vacuum  inside.  If 
not  properly  sealed,  the  sound  will  be 
dull  and  low  in  key,  in  which  case  you 
have  an  opportunity  to  re-can  contents 
and  thus  save  your  food. 

Syrups:  There  are  three  kinds  of 
syrup :  thin,  medium,  and  heavy. 

To  make  a  thin  syrup,  use  three  parts 
of  water  to  one  part  of  sugar,  and 
bring  to  a  boil.  This  syrup  is  used  for 
small,  soft  fruits  such  as  sweet  cherries, 
berries,  etc. 

For  medium  syrup,  use  two  parts  of 
water  to  one  part  of  sugar  and  bring 
to  a  boil.  Medium  syrup  is  used  on 
peaches,  sour  berries,  acid  fruits  such 
as  rhubarb,  cherries,  gooseberries,  etc. 

To  make  a  heavy  syrup,  use  one  part 
water  to  one  part  sugar  and  bring  to  a 
boil.  This  syrup  is  used  on  larger  sour 
fruits  that  are  to  be  extra  sweet. 

White  corn  syrup  may  be  used  in 
the  proportion  of  \Yi  cups  of  corn 
syrup  substituted  for  each  cup  of  sugar. 
Honey  may  also  be  used  in  place  of 
sugar.  Ordinarily  1  cup  of  honey 
equals  1  cup  of  sugar. 


HERE'S  HOW 


"NTow's  the  time  for  canning.  So 
•^  ^  gather  your  bottles  and  settle  down 
to  some  good  fun  bottling  fruits,  vege- 
tables, and  meats.  Oh,  no,  that  word 
"fun"  is  not  misused!  For  that's  what 
it  can  be — if  you  use  the  right  methods. 
Why  don't  you  avail  yourselves  of 
the  opportunity  offered  by  Kerr  Manu- 
facturing Company?  Spend  a  dime  and 
get  the  Kerr  Home  Canning  Book — 
and  at  the  same  time  ask  for  "Let's 
Eat,"  a  recipe  book  for  dishes  pre- 
pared from  home-canned  foods,  Can- 
ning Questions  and  Answers,  Home 
Canning  Guide,  Can  Meats  Now,  and 
Ten  Lessons  in  Home  Canning — all  of 
which  are  free! 

Good  luck — and  much  fun  in  prepar- 
ing for  winter! 

SEND  FOR  FREE  BOOK 
ON  BREAD-MAKING 

T_Tave  you  ever  made  bread?    It's  fun 
to  make  bread  at  home,  and  the 
more  women  who  experience  the  thrill 
the  better. 

You  will  receive  a  free  40-page  book- 
let concerning  bread-making  by  send- 
ing your  written  request  for  it,  writing 
name  and  address  legibly  to  The  Im- 
provement Era  by  no  later  than  Sep- 
tember 15th.  You  need  send  no  money, 
no  return  postage.  You  may  include 
(Continued  on  page  486) 
485 


r«v„  tried  ^*f\£*  for 
„self .Sealing         ly  setter^ 

"I  fini  *™"L  me  Money.  Tim; 
^d  Caps  eave  me^  ^  ^     x 

and  Energy-  ^^  Wasons-- 

i  fU'rf        '^— TBI     * 


editing  «»  *• 
nit's  e&Sy;I  nome  canned 
-rV6  BylflSr«a.o»  Jars  and 


Buy  3  or  4  dozen  Kerr  Mason  Jars  today 
.  .  .  Modernize  your  old  mason  jars  with 
Kerr  Mason  Caps  .  .  .  they  are  "self-seal- 
ing." No  rubbers  needed  ...  no  burned 
fingers  .  .  .  you'll  like  them.  Kerr  Com- 
plete Homecanning  Bk.;  specific  instruc- 
tions— Tested  and  Approved- — 322  recipes 
only  10c. 

<Aefo>-lMfflie  BUYER'S  PREFERENCE 


Kerr  Mason  Caps  Fit  ALL 
Mason  Jars 


Homing 


( Continued  from  page  485 ) 

names  and  addresses  of  your  friends 
if  you  think  they'd  like  to  have  copies. 

Name  of  the  helpful,  attractive,  and 
illustrated  bread  booklet  is  "Giving 
Your  Meals  the  Touch  of  Individuality 
With  Delicious  Yeast-Raised  Breads.  ' 

In  the  book  you  will  find  a  complete 
explanation  of  the  subject,  step  by  step. 
Next  you  will  find  52  recipes  for  bread 
foods. 

The  book  is  divided  into  these  sec- 
tions: Bread,  rolls,  and  sweet  buns 
( toppings  are  included ) ,  old  fashioned 
raised  muffins,  griddle  cakes  and  dough- 
nuts, fancy  breads  that  masquerade  as 
cakes  ( toppings  and  fillings  again ) . 

Recipes  Listed 

Under  these  various  titles  one  finds 
recipes  for  plain  varieties  in  every  case, 
and  then  there  are  such  foreign  varia- 
tions as  Bohemian  hoska,  German  ap- 
ple cake,  Danish  pastry,  French  buns, 
crumpets  and  so  on.  In  the  health 
bread  group  are  bran,  gluten,  and  gra- 
ham breads. 

This  will  be  a  book  for  which  you 
will  find  life-long  service.  Trying  reci- 
pes will  be  a  kitchen  adventure,  and 
you'll  always  know  you  can  resort  to 
your  trusty  baker  when  you  must. 

BREAD 

Give  Us  This  Day  .  .  Good  Bread 


I 


By  Ruth  V alter y  Young 

t  was  an  unusually  large  baking,  and 
to  my  tiny  self,  tiptoe  at  the  table 
edge,  peeping  across  at  the  tempt- 
ing array,  it  seemed  gigantic.  No  doubt 
the  larger  loaves  would  have  rivaled  me 
in  girth  if  not  in  length.  I  can  still  see 
them  in  memory  and  smell  the  warm, 
crisp  flavor,  like  nothing  else  at  all,  and 
in  fancy  can  hear  the  crack-snap  of 
the  crust  as  escaping  heat  burst  a  net- 
work of  tiny  fissures  across  the  brown, 
rounded  tops. 

There  was  a  new  baby  in  the  house 
and  I  have  never  been  able  to  decide 


SYMPHONY 

By  Mabel  Jones 


I  thought  I'd  like  to  write  a  song, 
But  first  the  dishes  must  be  done; 
I  slowly  put  my  apron  on 
And  let  the  clear  hot  water  run. 

I  sorted  plates  and  spoons  and  cups 

The  while  I  piled  the  dishes  high; 

I  like  the  feel  of  soapy  suds 

And  clean  white  towels  so  fresh  and  dry. 

It  all  was  done  so  soon  it  seemed; 
The  dishes  glistened,  one  by  one; 
The  silverware  and  crystal  gleamed 
Like  dewdrops  in  the  early  sun. 

I  hung  the  towels  behind  the  door 
And  tucked  away  each  pot  and  pan, 
Then  swept  a  few  crumbs  from  the  floor 
And  left  the  kitchen  'spick  and  span.' 

And  now,  I  thought,  the  song  I'll  write; 
But  lo!  my  kitchen  seemed  to  me, 
So  sparkling,  clean  and  fresh  and  bright, 
A  living  song,  a  symphony. 


I  ANT  SIZE 
Contains  cup, 
salad  plate,  or 
saucer  of  Cali- 
fornia  Pottery 


You  Find 

What  You  Want  in 

PAR  SOAP 


Because  PAR  contains  PYRO  it 
leaves  no  Dishpan  Ring,  and 
clothes  rinse  freely,  white  and 
clean.  And,  because  Par  con- 
tains glycerine  your  hands  stay 
softer,  smoother.  Enjoy  Par  Soap. 
Enjoy,  too,  the  colorful  California 
Pottery  you  get  by  using  Par 
Soap! 


REGULAR  SIZE 
Tabs  on  top,  plus 
a  little  money, 
bring  you  added 
pieces  of  pottery. 


AT  GROCERS 


WE  OEEER  .  . . 

A  COMPLETE 
ENGRAVING  SERVICE 

From   Missionary   Portraits   to   the    Largest 

Catalogues 

Mail  Orders  Given  Prompt  Attention 

UTAH  ENGRAVING  CO. 

113  Regent  St.  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


Hole!  Lnnkcrshim 

7TH    &    BROADWAY 

$2.50         $3.00         $3.50 

"No    Bargaining*' 

No    Worry" 

LOS  ANGELES 

Frank  Wishon,  Operator 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


Ho 


ming 


whether  the  bread  made  me  remember 
the  baby  or  that  the  new  arrival  fixed 
that  baking  in  my  memory.  However 
it  was,  the  two,  combined,  left  in  my 
mind  a  feeling  of  well-being,  satisfac- 
tion, and  completeness  that  the  inter- 
vening years  have  been  unable  to  erase. 

Throughout  the  years  that  same  kit- 
chen table  held  a  series  of  good  bak- 
ings. The  joy  of  coming  home  from  a 
day  at  country  school,  across  frozen 
prairies  or  through  drifting  snow,  was 
climaxed  by  the  sight  of  those  new- 
baked  loaves  waiting  to  be  cut  and 
spread  with  home-made  butter  and 
honey. 

I  know  that  Mother's  bread  was 
unique  for  its  goodness  even  in  those 
days  of  good  bread  because  she  had 
a  passion  for  the  best  of  everything. 
The  yeast,  home-brewed,  drew  its  life 
from  hop  blossoms  gathered  from  wild 
vines  down  by  the  river.  All  summer 
we  watched  them  growing  in  rival  clus- 
ters with  the  clematis  upon  the  great 
cottonwoods,  biding  our  time  until  the 
tight  green  balls  began  to  loosen  and 
turn  yellow.  Taken  home  and  dried 
in  the  hot  autumn  sun,  they  joined  a 
combination  of  other  homely  products 
to  produce  a  yeast  that  foamed  and  fell, 
was  robbed,  and  renewed  itself  weekly 
through  the  long  winter. 

My  father  was  a  lover  of  experi- 
mentation and  we  were  the  first  farmers 
in  the  country  to  grow  and  grind  our 
own  semolina  whole-wheat  flour.  I 
believe  his  seed  came  from  far  away 
Russia. 

We  gathered  our  first  crop  carefully, 
but  it  was  some  time  before  there  was 
enough  wheat  for  us  to  grind  it  into 
flour.  We  ground  it  in  the  old  iron 
burr  mill  and  sieved  it  by  hand.  I  re- 
member very  well  helping  wash  the 
wheat  before  the  grinding  and  I  often 
stood,  dusty  and  tired,  shaking  the  wire 
sieve  over  a  dishpan  to  remove  the 
coarser  bits  before  the  flour  was  sacked 
and  put  in  the  attic  for  the  winter.  The 
process  may  have  been  slow  and  the 
work  irksome,  but  nothing  has  been 
done  by  modern  methods  to  improve 
the  resulting  product. 

Our  whole-wheat  loaves  were  sweet- 
ened with  molasses  and  made  with 
milk  in  which  the  cream  left  by  the 
skimmer  still  floated.  I  remember  that 
Mother  covered  them,  hot  from  the 
oven,  with  generous  dabs  of  salty  fresh 
butter,  leaving  here  and  there  little  bits 
to  slide  their  way  down  the  curving 
surface,  sinking  into  the  mellow  crust 
at  every  crevice  to  add  to  the  deli- 
ciousness  within. 

That  farm  is  far  away — in  miles — ■ 
and  infinitely  farther  in  time  and  change. 
Those  rolling  fields  are  dust-blown 
acres  now  and  lie  fallow  waiting  new 
seasons  of  plenty.  The  hop  vines  went 
down  with  the  great  cottonwoods  a 
full  decade  ago,  and  I,  the  child  who 
gathered  the  hops,  have  forgotten  the 
alchemy  by  which  they  were  changed 
(Concluded  on  page  488) 


OUR  HONEYMOON  IS  NEVER  OYER 


/"vS 


'CK& 


ut 


Whether  you've  been  married  six  weeks 
or  sixteen  years — whether  you're  a  new 
beginner  or  an  old  hand  at  cake-making, 
you'll  get  wonderful,  melt-in-your-mouth 
cakes  that  no  husband  can  resist  if  you 
use  Globe  "Al"  Special  Cake  Flour. 


GLOBE  Al  CAKE  FLOUR 


V 
A 

C 

A 

T 

I 

O 
N 

APPETITES 
demand  pancakes 


Whether  you  plan  to  camp  in  the  mountains, 
tour  in  a  trailer,  or  loaf  at  home — don't  forget 
that  Globe  "Al"  Pancake  Flour  makes  de- 
licious buttermilk  pancakes  that  satisfy  keen 
vacation  appetites.  Easy  and  quick,  too.  Just 
add  water! 

LISTEN  tc  "MARY  FOSTER,  THE  EDITOR'S  DAUGHTER" 
every  Monday  thru  Friday,  KNX-KSFO.  3  P.  M. 


487 


THE    IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,    1940 


Homing 


{Concluded  from  page  487) 

Into  a  stone  crock  of  foaming  winter 
yeast. 

There  is  recompense,  however!  The 
crafts  of  the  pioneers  have  become  the 
arts  of  their  children.  Hand  carvings 
merit  a  studio.  Crocheted  rag  rugs 
grace  the  best  homes.  Hammered  iron 
is  at  a  premium.  Hand  spice  mills  are 
in  demand  for  new  kitchens. 

I  have  found  art  in  a  loaf  of  home- 


baked  bread — turning  it  out  upon  the 
counter  of  my  up-to-the-minute  kitchen, 
I  experience  a  sense  of  esthetic  satisfac- 
tion. I  am  flattered  by  the  product  of 
my  hands  as  I  might  be  by  a  lovely 
painting.  There  is  beauty  in  a  loaf 
fresh  from  the  oven.  It  may  not  be 
orthodox  as  to  size  and  form,  but  an  in- 
dividuality all  its  own  assures  me  it  is 
real. 

Like  my  mother,  I  will  have  none  but 
the  best  ingredients.  Even  the  city 
does  not  keep  me  from  having  honey 


LAST   MINUTE   MOOS- by  els ie 


Elsie's  right,  as  usual! 
For  milk  evaporated  by 
Borden's  is  then  irradiated. 
Its  content  of  Vitamin  D, 
the  sunshine  vitamin 
—  is  increased! 


Truly  fine,  digestible  milk 
— accepted  in  1930  by  the 
Council  on  Foods  of  the 
American  Medical  Association. 
Identified  by  Borden's 
with  the  familiar  label, 
St.  Charles  brand.  And 
how's  your  supply? 


IF  IT'S  !3a?tlMt4 
IT'S  GOT  TO  BE  GOOD 


A 

Utah 

Product 


Just  Good  Nourishing  Bread 

There's  good,  honest,  substantial  flavor  and  nutri- 
ment in  every  slice  of  Royal  Bread.  It's  baked  as 
perfectly  as  long  experience  and  modern  equipment 
can  do  it.    You  can  depend  on  it — always. 


Every  Day  at  Your  Grocer's 


mm 


FINE 


M5D 


Royal  Baking  Company,  Salt  Lake  and  Ogden 
100%  Home-owned  100%  American 


488 


from  our  own  bees  to  replace  the  home- 
made molasses  which  no  longer 
exists  in  my  world.  My  grocer  assures 
me  the  whole-wheat  flour  that  I  buy 
is  ground  in  the  old-fashioned  way. 
I  am  content  with  the  proportions  as 
nature  has  provided:  germ,  bran,  and 
gluten  as  they  come.  I  have  faith  in 
the  First  Chemist  and  His  product  is 
good  enough  for  me. 

I  mold  the  sponge  with  my  hands. 
As  the  ripe  dough  folds  and  springs 
beneath  my  palms,  I  feel  an  interchange 
of  energy,  currents  of  life  growing  and 
expanding  within  the  nascent  loaf,  part 
of  both  the  baker  and  the  product,  des- 
tined to  contribute  something  vital,  over 
and  above  nourishment,  to  whoever 
may  partake. 


\\i./ 


// 


It's  Up  to  You 

(Concluded  from  page  459) 

Guest's  outlook  on  life.  A  frag- 
ment of  that  poem  appears  below, 
a  moment's  reflection  for  "just  folks" 
like  you  and  me. 

Home  ain't  a  place  that  gold  can  buy  or 
get  up  in  a  minute; 

Afore  it's  home  there's  got  t'  be  a  heap  o' 
livin'  in  it; 

Within  the  walls   there's  got  t'  be  some 
babies  born,  and  then 

Right  there  ye've  got  t'  bring   'em  up  t' 
women  good,  an'  men; 

And  gradjerly,  as  time  goes  on,  ye  find  ye 

wouldn't  part 
With   anything    they    ever    used — they've 

grown  into  yer  heart: 

The  old  high  chairs,  the  playthings,  too,  the 
little  shoes  they  wore 

Ye  hoard;   an'  if  ye  could  ye'd  keep  the 
thumbmarks  on  the  door. 

Ye've  got  t'  weep  t'  make  it  home,  ye've 

got  t'  sit  an'  sigh 
An'  watch  beside  a  loved  one's  bed,  an' 

know  that  Death  is  nigh; 

An'  in  the  stillness  o'  the  night  t'  see  Death's 
angel  come, 

An'  close  the  eyes  o'  her  that  smiled,  an' 
leave  her  sweet  voice  dumb. 

Fer  these  are  scenes  that  grip  the  heart,  an' 
when  yer  tears  are  dried, 

Ye  find  the  home  is  dearer  than  it  was,  an' 
sanctified.  .  .  . 

■  ♦  » 


THE  INSPIRED  REVISION 

(Continued  from  page  473) 

Notice  that  Elijah  was  to  reveal 
the  Priesthood.  This  reference  to 
the  Priesthood  is  lacking  in  the  pres- 
ent Hebrew  text.  Instance  upon 
instance  could  be  cited  of  mistrans- 
lations being  carried  over  from  the 
King  James  to  the  Inspired  Revision 
and  of  errors  going  uncorrected.  This 
in  itself  is  indisputable  evidence  that 
the  Prophet  did  not  completely  revise 
the  Bible. 

(  To  be  Concluded ) 


CONDUCTED   BY  THE  MELCHIZEDEK   PRIESTHOOD    COMMITTEE  OF  THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  TWELVE — 
JOSEPH  FIELDING  SMITH,  CHAIRMAN;  JOHN  A.  WIDTSOE,  JOSEPH  F.  MERRILL,  AND  SYLVESTER  Q.  CANNON 


WHO  SIGNS  REPORTS 

TpHE  question  has  been  asked  "Who 
should  sign  the  quarterly  reports  of 
a  Melchizedek  Priesthood  quorum?" 
The  answer  is,  "The  President  of  the 
quorum,"  the  senior  president  in  case 
of  a  quorum  of  Seventy. 

This  has  not  recently  been  done  in 
many  cases.  The  secretary  of  the  quo- 
rum generally  fills  in  the  report  forms. 
This  is  proper,  for  he  keeps  the  rolls 
and  records.  But  when  the  reports  are 
ready  for  signature  they  should  in  all 
cases  be  signed  by  the  president,  or 
by  a  counselor  if  for  any  reason  the 
president  is  unable  to  do  it  himself. 

Will  quorum  officers  please  make 
note  and  henceforth  act  accordingly? 
Reasons  for  this  are  obvious;  it  is  there- 
fore unnecessary  to  give  them  here. 

From  what  is  said  above  obviously 
the  stake  chairman,  and  not  a  clerk, 
should  sign  the  stake  committee  reports 
sent  to  Salt  Lake  City. 

WHOSE  RESPONSIBILITY 

Aur  memories  are  often  short.  Fur- 
^-^  ther,  quorum  officers  are  subject  to 
change.  Hence  once  again  may  we 
remind  all  quorum  presidencies  that 
they  are  held  responsible  for  quarterly 
quorum  reports  being  made  and  prompt- 
ly sent  to  the  Stake  Chairman  at  the 
end  of  each  quarter.  This  responsibility 
cannot  properly  be  placed  upon  quorum 
secretaries.  The  latter  may  be  asked 
to  do  the  work,  but  the  presidencies  are 
held  responsible  for  its  being  done. 

There  is  another  responsibility  rest- 
ing upon  quorum  presidencies  that  can- 
not properly  be  shifted — that  of  seeing 
that  the  "campaign  of  persuasion"  for 
the  non-use  of  liquor  and  tobacco  shall 
be  actively  carried  out  until  it  reaches 
effectively  every  member  of  the  quorum 
needing  help. 

To  be  a  president  is  to  be  loaded  with 
responsibilities — with  opportunities  for 
worth-while  service  which,  when  prop- 
erly rendered,  promptly  brings  divine 
favors. 

WHEN  SHALL  GROUP 
MEETINGS  BE  HELD? 

A  president  of  a  High  Priests'  quorum 
"^  of  one  of  the  stakes  asks  what  we 
suggest  be  done  to  improve  conditions 
in  his  quorum.  He  says  the  monthly 
quorum  meetings  are  a  great  success, 
the  fine  program  meeting  usually  being 
followed  by  a  good  social  attended  also 
by  the  wives  of  the  members. 

But  the  weekly  group  meetings  are 
almost  a  "flop,"  he  writes.  They  are 
held  after  Sunday  School,  are  short, 
poorly  attended,  and  due  to  various 
interferences  only  two  a  month,  on  an 


NOTICE 

HThis  is  to  advise  the  officers  of 
A  Melchizedek  Priesthood  quo- 
rums  that  the  Roll  and  Record 
Books  now  available  at  the  Des- 
eret  Book  Company  contain  all 
the  information  that  will  be  re- 
quired in  the  "L,"  "M,"  and  "N" 
Annual  Report  forms  furnished 
by  the  Presiding  Bishop's  Office. 

Since  the  Roll  and  Record 
Books  have  been  simplified,  there 
has  been  some  doubt  among  quo- 
rum officers  that  these  books 
would  supply  the  necessary  infor- 
mation at  the  end  of  the  year. 
However,  the  Annual  Report 
forms  are  being  prepared  to  call 
for  data  that  can  be  obtained  from 
the  Roll  and  Record  Books  if 
they  are  properly  kept  during  the 
year. 

In  this  connection  we  urge  quo- 
rum secretaries  to  consult  the 
ward  clerks  more  frequently 
while  compiling  the  Annual  Re- 
port in  order  to  get  definite  infor- 
mation relative  to  deceased  mem- 
bers and  those  who  have  moved 
from  the  ward  and  quorum.  It 
is  often  found  that  the  Annual 
Report  is  sent  in  without  securing 
accurate  data  on  this  item. 


average,  are  held.  "What  do  you  sug- 
gest?" he  asks. 

Our  reply  is  to  take  the  problem  to 
the  monthly  meeting  of  the  stake  Mel- 
chizedek Priesthood  committee  with  the 
officers  of  the  groups  and  quorums. 
The  same  problem  of  weekly  meetings 
is  probably  found  in  the  other  quorums. 
The  stake  presidency  and  high  council 
might  well  be  invited  also  to  this  meet- 
ing. Or  the  problem  could  properly 
be  referred  for  recommendation  to  the 
presidency  and  high  council  of  the  stake. 

In  any  case,  brethren,  the  time  and 
place  of  holding  weekly  and  monthly 
Priesthood  meetings  in  a  stake  are  mat- 
ters to  be  recommended  by  the  Priest- 
hood authorities  of  the  stake.  Let  it 
always  be  remembered  that  the  weekly 
Priesthood  quorum  or  group  meetings 
should  not  be  curtailed  by  other  Church 
activities. 


ANTI-LIQUOR-TOBACCO 
COLUMN 


(See  also  "I  Quit  Smoking,"  by  Courtney 
Ryley  Cooper,  page  460.) 

AN  AWAKENING 
**T_Jas  our  campaign  come  to  a  stand- 
**■  still  stage?"  we  were  recently 
asked.  On  the  contrary  we  believe  that 
as  soon  as  summer  and  vacation  days 
(Continued  on  page  490) 


A  HELPFUL  DEVICE  FOR  PERSONAL  WELFARE 

COMMITTEES 


7V  Priesthood  quorum  is  a  group  of 
*"*  brethren.  As  a  brotherhood  the 
condition  of  every  member  must  be 
known  and  watched  over.  To  secure 
such  necessary  information  is  the  main 
purpose  of  the  important  Personal 
Welfare  Committee,  which  should 
function  in  every  quorum. 

The  High  Priests'  quorum  of  Logan 
Stake  keeps  a  record  of  every  quorum 
member  on  a  specially  printed  card. 
The  card  is  filled  out  by  personal  visits 


of  the  Personal  Welfare  Committee  to 
the  quorum  member  and  kept  up-to- 
date  by  regular  later  visits  of  the  Com- 
mittee. 

For  the  information  of  Personal  Wel- 
fare Committees  of  other  quorums  the 
card  is  herewith  reprinted. 

The  Priesthood  Committee  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  would  welcome 
information  concerning  other  methods 
of  keeping  records  of  quorum  members. 


Name Address 

Birthdate Occupation 

Is  he  employed Where. 

Health Able  to  work Kind  of  work  desired - 

Is  wife  living How  many  dependents In  case  of  sickness  or  inability 

to  work  can  he  provide  for  himself 

Can  family  take  care  of  him 

Has  he  filled  a  mission Where,  when 

Has  he  had  his  endowments What  church  offices  has  he  held 

Present  activity  in  the  church 

What  activity  does  he  prefer  

Willing  to  labor  but  unassigned Unwilling  to  labor 

Is  he  able  to  attend  quorum  meetings _ 

Does  he  need  transportation 


489 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


(  Continued  from  page  489 ) 
are  over  the  campaign  will  go  forward 
with  greater  life  and  vigor  than  ever. 

Most  Priesthood  quorums  are  more 
active  than  ever  in  applying  the  "per- 
sonal contact"  method  to  their  work. 
It  is  the  "sick"  and  not  the  "whole" 
that  need  the  physician.  Smokers  and 
drinkers  do  not  ordinarily  attend  quo- 
rum meetings.  Hence  they  cannot  be 
reached  there.  But  they  are  being 
reached  by  methods  that  all  mission- 
aries practice  and  know  so  well. 

But  of  course  publicity  devices  must 
also  be  used.  Our  committees  and 
other  workers  are  developing  and  using 
these  devices  for  keeping  the  public 
interested  in  the  campaign.  However, 
we  rely  for  results — winning  and  keep- 
ing our  people  away  from  liquor  and 
tobacco — upon  the  influence  of  the 
home  and  personal  work  in  private. 

The  need  of  our  work  was  never  so 
great — the  temptation  to  tamper  with 
and  use  cigarettes  and  alcoholic  drinks 
was  never  so  strong.  All  signs  indicate 
that  our  workers  resolutely  accept  the 
challenge  of  the  liquor  and  tobacco 
barons  and  that  these  destructive  nar- 
cotics will  be  driven  from  the  homes 
of  all  Mormon  people.  This  is  our 
final  objective. 

CONTRIBUTION  FROM 
DR.  L.  WESTON  OAKES 

P\r.  L.  Weston  Oakes  of  Provo,  an 
■*-*^  able  champion  of  total  abstinence, 
has  kindly  sent  us  the  following  quo- 
tation from  the  source  indicated  on  how 
a  drinking  mother  poisons  her  unborn 
babe: 

An  Expectant  Mother  Who  Takes 
a  Drink  of  Wine  or  a  Cocktail 
Poisons  Her  Unborn  Babe 

Tn  the  following  quotation  from  the 
writings  of  Dr.  Arthur  N.  Donaldson, 
Professor  of  Medicine  at  College  of 
Medical  Evangelists,  are  statements 
which  should  make  both  the  expectant 
mother  and  the  nursing  mother  hesitate 
long  before  indulgence  in  alcoholic 
drink  of  any  kind: 

What  about  this  idea  of  alcohol  as  a  cell 
poison,  though?  If  there  is  a  saturation  of 
all  tissues — and  there  is  (alcohol  can  be 
recovered  from  every  secretion  and  any 
organ  within  a  few  minutes  after  the  drink) 
— the  possibility  and  degree  of  injury  to  the 
cell  is  determined  by  three  factors:  the 
nature  of  the  drug,  and  concentration  of  the 
drug  in  the  tissues,  the  resistance  or  deli- 
cacy of  the  cell. 

And  while  on  this  point  of  tissue  satura- 
tion with  a  damaging  narcotic,  what  about 
injury  to  the  unborn,  the  developing  of  a 
future  generation?  All  elements  but  the  cells 
of  the  mother's  blood  pass  through  mem- 
branes and  circulate  through  the  tissues  of 
the  unborn  babe  for  nine  whole  months. 
What  about  that  cocktail  in  the  tiny  body; 
will  it  do  any  good?  You  know  it  will  not. 
An  alcoholic  ancestry  provides  an  inferior 
physical  inheritance,  notably  observed  in  the 
glands  of  internal  secretion  and  in  the  ner- 
vous system.  Donaldson,  Arthur  N.,  "For 
Health's  Sake  Don't  Drink,"  Signs  of  the 
Times,  May  23,  1939,  p.  5.) 

490 


QUORUM  PROJECTS 


STOREHOUSE  OUTFITS 
FAMILY  FOR  53  CENTS 

"Rrom  Ohio  recently  came  a  man,  his 
*-  wife,  and  their  four  children,  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Church,  who  had 
started  westward  on  foot  in  search  of 
better  living  conditions.  At  home  in 
Ohio,  they  had  often  cared  for  the  mis- 
sionaries, and,  strange  coincidence,  it 
was  a  returned  missionary  who,  by 
chance,  picked  them  up  and  brought 
them  a  remaining  seven  hundred  miles 
to  Ogden.  Destitute,  the  family  there 
got  in  touch  with  Church  Welfare  au- 
thorities of  the  North  Weber  Stake. 
Through  the  facilities  of  the  Welfare 
Plan,  the  family  was  assisted  in  the 
unique  way  the  program  makes  pos- 
sible: for  fifty-three  cents  a  complete 
wardrobe,  and  food  in  return  for  work. 
The  list  of  clothing  included  for  the 
fifty-three  cents  is  nothing  short  of  re- 
markable: four  pairs  children's  shoes; 
two  pairs  slacks;  five  men's  shirts;  one 
ladies'  garment;  ten  play  suits;  four 
girls'  dresses;  three  pairs  socks;  one 
man's  sweater;  one  pair  men's  shoes; 
and  one  pair  men's  pants. 

5th  Quorum  of  Elders 
South  Davis  Stake 

T  have  been  a  member  of  the  Elders' 
*  quorum  for  six  years,  but  until  last 
summer  I  was  never  impressed  as  much 
as  I  should  have  been  by  its  fraternity. 


Of  our  ninety-six  members  some  are 
profitably  employed,  some  part  time, 
and  others  not  at  all.  Through  the 
Elders'  personal  welfare  committee,  a 
few  of  our  members  spent  part  of  their 
otherwise  idle  time  this  year  helping 
other  members  with  work  on  their 
farms  which  had  accumulated  for  lack 
of  money  to  hire  help.  Most  of  those 
who  contributed  labor  have  received 
produce  from  the  grateful  farmers. 
Both  laborer  and  employer  feel  well 
repaid  and  neither  feel  that  he  received 
charity,  which  neither  did. 

I  believe  the  most  outstanding  acts 
of  fraternalism  within  our  quorum  oc- 
curred recently  when  one  of  our  mem- 
bers nearly  lost  his  home.  He  was  out 
of  work  and  unable  to  meet  his  obliga- 
tions for  a  longer  period  than  his  cred- 
itors would  allow.  He  didn't  ask  for 
help  but  the  bishopric  found  out  from 
another  source  and  withholding  the 
brother's  name,  notified  the  presidency 
of  the  Elders'  quorum  of  his  need.  The 
quorum  officers  notified  each  member 
and  nearly  all  made  a  cash  contribu- 
tion. The  whole  business  was  done  in 
one  week,  and  without  being  a  burden 
to  anyone,  a  brother's  home  was  saved. 
He  was  spared  any  possible  chance  of 
embarrassment,  for  the  bishopric  alone 
knew  who  he  was.  The  fact  that  he 
was  a  brother  Elder  was  enough  recom- 
mendation for  the  rest  of  the  quorum. 

There  is  need  for  much  more  fra- 
ternalism in  the  quorum,  and  I  hope  it 
will  be  among  the  resolutions  of  each 
Elder  to  fraternalize  our  quorums  more 
fully. 

Clair  Jepson,  President. 


Melchizedek  Priesthood  Outline  of  Study,  September,  1940 

Text:    Priesthood  and  Church  Government. 
(See  supplementary  readings,  problems,  and  projects  below.) 


LESSON  XXV 

The  Melchizedek  Priesthood  Quorum: 

Quorum  Officers 

(Read  chapter  11,  pp.  142448) 

I.  Organization  for  supervision:  see  dia- 
gram 

II.  Nomination  and  acceptance  of  quorum 
officers 

a.  In  Lesser  Priesthood  quorums 

b.  In  Elders'  quorum 

c.  In  Seventies'  quorum 

d.  In  High  Priests'  quorum 

III.  Standards  of  quorum  leadership    (See 
Supplementary  Readings,  Nos.  1,  2) 

a.  Performance   of   duties    to  best   of 
ability 

b.  Support  of  Church,  stake,  and  ward 
authorities 

c.  Harmonious  cooperation  with  quo- 
rum associates 

d.  Observance  of  Word  of  Wisdom 

e.  Faithfulness  in  tithepaying 

f.  Prompt  attendance  at  quorum  meet- 
ings 

g.  Attendance  at  other  Church  func- 
tions 

IV.  Supervision  of  divided  quorums 

a.  Each  group  to  have  officers 

b.  Groups  to  meet  monthly  as  quorum 


V.  Responsibilities  of  quorum  presidency 

a.  To  account  for  every  member  (See 
Supplementary   Readings,    No.    3) 

1.  More  than  an  attendance  check 

2.  A  personal  welfare  concern:  an- 
nual call  on  each  member 

b.  To    assume    initiative    for    quorum 
progress 

c.  To  appoint  committees  and  call  for 
reports 

d.  To  meet  regularly  as  presidency 

e.  To  appoint  group  leader  with  ap- 
proval of  bishop 

VI.  Duties  of  secretary 

a.  Custodian  for  all  permanent  quorum 
records 

b.  Should  receive  committee  records 

c.  Should  keep  minutes  of  quorum  and 
presidency  meetings 

d.  Should  keep  in  touch  with   group 
secretaries 

e.  Should  make  out: 

1.  Enrollment  record,   quorum  and 
group 

2.  Individual   activity   record 

3.  Monthly    compilation    of    group 
records 

4.  Quarterly  report 

Problems  and  projects: 

1.  Study   together  the  diagram  of   Mel- 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


chizedek  Priesthood  supervision  on  page 
143  of  the  text.  What  does  such  a  study 
reveal  concerning  line  of  authority,  division 
of  responsibility,  advisory  and  administra- 
tive checks,  inter-relation  of  the  parts  with 
the  whole? 

2.  Why  should  the  best  leadership  avail- 
able be  provided  first  for  Priesthood  quo- 
rums and  secondarily  for  other  organizations 
in  the  Church?  Has  the  Priesthood  quorum 
always  received  this  consideration? 

3.  Explain  fully  the  significance  of  "ac- 
counting" for  every  member.  In  what  ways 
is  the  quorum  especially  equipped  to  do  a 
thorough  job  of  this  "accounting"? 

4.  Have  the  secretary  himself  display 
the  records  he  keeps,  speaking  briefly  on 
their  nature  and  purpose. 

5.  Let  the  presidency  take  an  inventory 
of  the  quorum,  name  by  name,  and  ascertain 
what  each  one  is  doing  by  way  of  service 
in  the  Church.  Assign  active  members  to 
visit  those  in  need  either  of  spiritual  or 
physical  comfort. 

LESSON  XXVI 

The  Melchizedek  Priesthood  Quorum: 

Funds,  Meetings 

(Read  chapter  11,  pp.  148-151;  154-156) 

I.  Nature    of    quorum    funds:       Income 

yielded  from  projects 
II.  Use  of  funds 

a.  To  meet  quorum  needs  and  desires 

b.  To  assist  needy  members  and  fam- 
ilies 

c.  To  contribute  to  Welfare  Program 

d.  Not  for  speculation 

III.  Administration  of  funds 

a.  Quorum  presidency  authorized  re- 
ceivers and  custodians 

b.  Expenditures    should    receive    ap- 
proval of  quorum 

c.  Bishop  to  be  consulted  before  help 
given 

d.  Stake  presidency  to  be  consulted  for 
large  disbursements,  investments 

e.  Bishop  to  receipt  all  expenditures 

f.  Funds  to  be  safely  deposited 

1.  Banks 

2.  Cooperative   Security    Corpora- 
tion 

g.  Special  administration  of  Seventies' 
funds 

1.  General  Fund 

2.  Quorum  Fund 

IV.  Purpose  and  plan  of  quorum  meetings: 
Joseph  Smith  on  proper  order 

V.  Number  and  nature  of  quorum  meet- 
ings 

a.  Weekly  meeting  of  quorum  presi- 
dency 

b.  Monthly  full  quorum  meeting 

c.  Weekly  quorum  or  group  meeting 

1.  For  activity 

2.  For  instruction 

d.  Union  or  district  meeting  for  offi- 
cers  (leadership  meeting) 

e.  Committee  meetings 

f.  Socials,  projects 

Problems  and  projects: 

1.  Review  what  has  been  done  in  the 
quorum  in  the  gathering  and  use  of  funds 
during  the  past  year.  Compare  your  ac- 
tivities with  the  reports  appearing  from  time 
to  time  in  The  Improvement  Era,  Melchiz- 
edek Priesthood  section. 

2.  The  manner  of  creating  quorum  funds 
has  been  left  to  each  quorum.  Call  for  some 
discussion  suggesting  what  may  be  under- 
taken to  raise  quorum  funds.  Why  are  co- 
operative work  plans  better  than  individual 
cash  donations?  Define  the  particular  funds 
in  the  Seventies'  quorum. 

3.  "Quorum  funds  are  really  trust  funds." 
How  does  this  view  influence  their  receipt 
and  disbursement? 


4.  Discuss  the  contribution  of  regular  full 
quorum  meetings  to  the  three-fold  role  of 
the  quorum  as  a  study  class,  a  fraternity, 
and  a  service  organization.  What  are  the 
elements  of  a  successful  quorum  meeting? 
Consider  convenient  hour,  suitable  room, 
promptness,  united  presidency,  order  of 
business,  worthwhile  program,  sense  of  ob- 
ligation to  quorum  on  part  of  members. 

5.  Why  can  there  be  no  "vacation"  from 
holding  weekly  quorum  or  group  Priest- 
hood meetings? 

LESSON  XXVII 

The  Melchizedek  Priesthood  Quorum: 

Purposes,  Projects 

(Read  chapter  11,  pp.  151-154) 

I.  Quorums  are  organizations  to  accom- 
plish purposes  of  the  Lord 

a.  To  help  individual  member  and  his 
family  in  their  every  need 

1.  Temporally 

2.  Mentally 

3.  Spiritually 

b.  To  help  Church  in  accomplishment 
of  its  threefold  duty  as  an  organized 
body. 

1.  To  keep  members  of  Church  in 
way  of  full  duty 

2.  To  teach  Gospel  to  those  who 
have  not  yet  heard  it 

3.  To  provide  for  dead  in  temple 
ordinances 

II.  Principal  quorum  objectives 

a.  To  study  Gospel  doctrine  and  its 
application  to  life 

b.  To  render  regularly  some  service 
to  the  Church 

c.  To  care  for  personal  welfare  of 
every  member 

d.  To  engage  in  miscellaneous  activ- 
ities 

III.  Knowing  and  doing:   quorum  projects 

(See  Supplementary  Readings,  No.  4) 

a.  Quorum  more  than  a  study  group 

b.  Quorum  an  activity  group 

c.  Projects  the  proof  of  an  active 
Priesthood 

IV.  Purpose  of  quorum  projects 

a.  To  fill  quorum  needs 

b.  For  participation  of  all  members 

c.  For  establishing  spirit  of  brother- 
hood 

V.  Kinds   of  projects:    being    "anxiously 
engaged  in  a  good  cause" 

a.  Recreational 

b.  Church  Welfare 

Problems    and   projects : 

1.  Consult  the  text  Priesthood  and  Church 
Welfare  for  suggestions  in  handling  the 
lesson  on  quorum  projects. 

2.  "The  quorum  presidency  should  see  to 
it  that  every  member  has  something  to  do 
continually."  Here  is  a  standing  challenge 
that,  if  it  has  not  been  met,  may  well  be 
considered  right  now. 

3.  Discuss  (1)  complete  quorum  organi- 
zation, (2)  capable  leadership  and  effective 
supervision,  and  (3)  a  worth-while  pro- 
gram as  essentials  to  success  of  quorum 
projects. 

4.  Why  do  ward  teaching,  attendance  at 
meeting,  payment  of  tithing,  and  keeping  of 
the  Word  of  Wisdom  not  fit  the  definition 
of  a  quorum  project?  What  is  the  prime 
purpose  and  distinction  of  a  quorum  project? 

5.  The  danger  that  besets  every  organiza- 
tion is  that  the  work  of  the  organization  will 
fall  into  an  uninteresting,  humdrum  routine. 
There  must  be  constant  variety  to  maintain 
interest.  Discuss  rotation  of  the  quorum 
program  to  achieve  this.  What  projects 
may  be  devised  to  obtain  progressive  in- 
terest? 


Supplementary  Readings 

For  Priesthood  and  Church  Government 


1.  Mankind  are  prone  to  imitate 
those  in  whom  they  place  confidence; 
the  greater  the  confidence  the  more 
readily  they  are  influenced  for  good  or 
for  evil.  If  an  Elder  is  circumspect 
and  refined  in  his  communications,  both 
in  public  and  in  private;  if  his  conversa- 
tion is  unassuming,  modest,  and  prompt- 
ed by  the  earnest  desires  of  a  pure 
heart;  if  his  deportment  is  chaste,  virtu- 
ous, and  influenced  only  by  the  purest 
motives,  the  same  holy  principles  and 
purity  of  conduct  will  be  gradually  dif- 
fused through  the  conference  or  district 
where  he  travels  or  presides.  Every 
good  Saint  will  respect  genuine  good- 
ness, wherever  it  is  seen,  and  will  try 
to  imitate  all  good  examples.  As  is  the 
presiding  Elder,  so  are  the  members. 
(In  the  Realm  of  Quorum  Activity, 
Third  Edition,  1930,  pp.  102-3.) 

2.  Another  worthy  ideal  for  every 
quorum  presidency  is  given  by  Abra- 
ham in  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price  (1:2) 
as  follows: 

Having  been  myself  a  follower  of  right- 
eousness, desiring  also  to  be  one  who  pos- 
sessed greater  knowledge,  and  to  be  a 
greater  follower  of  righteousness,  and  to 
possess  a  greater  knowledge,  and  to  be  a 
father  of  many  nations,  a  prince  of  peace, 
and  desiring  to  receive  instructions,  and  to 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  I  became 
a  rightful  heir,  a  High  Priest,  holding  the 
right  belonging  to  the  fathers.  (Standards 
for  Quorum  Presidencies.) 

3.  The  Priesthood  quorum  bears  a 
responsibility  for  the  welfare  of  its 
members.  The  quorum,  through  prop- 
erly appointed  means,  must  seek  out 
the  needs  of  each  individual  member, 
and  attempt  to  supply  the  needs  that 
may  be  discovered.  One  great  pur- 
pose of  the  Priesthood  quorum  is  to  de- 
velop a  group  of  brethren  who  will  care 
for  each  other's  welfare.  No  two  men 
have  exactly  the  same  needs,  or  must 
meet  just  the  same  difficulties.  There- 
fore, each  brother  should  be  able  to 
count  on  the  support  of  his  brethren 
who  are  not  afflicted  as  he  is.  No  quo- 
rum of  the  Priesthood  is  assuming  the 
full  obligation  placed  upon  it  by  the 
Lord,  which  does  not  sufficiently  extend 
its  activities  to  help  each  member  in 
his  individual  need.  The  spirit  of 
brotherhood  is  indispensable  for  quo- 
rum success.  (Priesthood  Manual,  p. 
40.) 

4.  A  hundred  years  or  more  ago  it 
was  thought  that  learning  was  the  end 
of  education.  But  in  modern  times  great 
minds  showed  that  education  is  com- 
plete only  when  practice  in  the  labor- 
atory, in  the  field  or  in  active  life,  backs 
up  that  which  we  have  learned  in 
schools  or  from  textbooks.  Therefore, 
in  the  request  made  of  the  Priesthood 
quorums  to  set  up  projects  we  are  just 
carrying  out  a  fundamental  part  of  edu- 
cation, of  human  development.  (Im- 
provement Era,  September,  1938,  pp. 
550-1.) 

491 


CONDUCTED  UNDER  THE  SUPERVISION  OF  THE  PRESIDING   BISHOPRIC EDITED   BY   JOHN   D.    GILES 


THE  AARONIC 
PRIESTHOOD 

Fifth  in  a  series  of  articles 
written  by  the  late  Elder  Orson 
F.  Whitney  of  the  Council  of 
the  Twelve.  Published  origin- 
ally    in     "The     Contributor." 

V. 

The  episode  of  Phinehas,  son  of 
Eleazer,  the  slayer  of  Zimri  and 
Cosbi,  is  the  next  incident  it 
becomes  our  duty  to  chronicle.  It 
was  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  on  the 
east  shore  of  Jordan,  opposite  Jer- 
icho. The  allied  hosts  of  Moab  and 
Midian,  jealous  of  so  formidable  a 
power  as  had  appeared  within  their 
borders,  but  hopeless  of  success  if 
they  attacked  the  armies  of  Israel, 
hit  upon  the  scheme  of  seducing  them 
from  their  allegiance  to  Jehovah,  to 
the  immoral  and  voluptuous  worship 
of  their  god,  Baal-Peor.  The  snare 
proved  successful.  The  sons  of 
Israel  committed  whoredoms  with 
the  daughters  of  Moab,  and  bowed 
down  with  them  in  worship  of  their 
idols.  The  God  of  Israel,  in  right- 
eous indignation,  again  poured  out 
upon  His  people  the  vials  of  His 
wrath.  A  plague  broke  out  among 
them,  which  carried  away  twenty- 
four  thousand  souls.  Moses  ordered 
the  judges  of  Israel,  also,  to  slay 
every  man  who  had  joined  himself 
to  Baal-Peor. 

In  the  midst  of  this  dire  distress, 
while  the  congregation  were  weep- 
ing before  Moses  at  the  door  of  the 
Tabernacle,  a  prince  of  the  tribe  of 
Simeon,  Zimri  by  name,  came  bring- 
ing into  the  camp,  in  the  sight  of  all 
the  people,  a  Midianitish  woman 
named  Cosbi.  The  shameful  spec- 
tacle so  enraged  Phinehas,  that  he 
rose  up  and  seized  a  javelin  and  pur- 
suing after  the  guilty  pair,  thrust 
the  spear  through  both  their  bodies. 
The  Lord,  though  not  a  delighter  in 
bloodshed,  so  admired  this  display 
of  zeal,  that,  having  stayed  the 
plague,  He  commended  the  son  of 
Eleazer  in  these  words: 

"Phinehas,  the  son  of  Eleazer,  the  son  of 
Aaron  the  priest,  hath  turned  my  wrath 
away  from  the  children  of  Israel  (while  he 
was  zealous  for  my  sake  among  them)  that 
I  consumed  not  the  children  of  Israel  in  my 
jealousy; 

"Wherefore  say,  Behold  I  give  unto  him 
my  covenant  of  peace. 

"And  he  shall  have  it,  and  his  seed  after 
him,  even  the  covenant  of  an  everlasting 

492 


priesthood;  because  he  was  zealous  for  his 
God,  and  made  an  atonement  for  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel." 

Moses  and  Eleazer  were  now  commanded 
to  take  the  census  of  the  men  of  war,  or 
males  twenty  years  old  and  upwards  who 
were  capable  of  bearing  arms.  The  total- 
ity obtained  was  six  hundred  and  one  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  thirty.  The  Le- 
vites  were  numbered  separately.  Their 
sum  was  twenty-three  thousand  males  from 
a  month  old  and  upwards.  Of  the  entire 
population,  there  were  but  three  who  were 
living  when  Moses  and  Aaron  took  the 
census  forty  years  before.  It  was  a  new 
generation  that  was  about  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  land  of  Canaan.  The  old 
one,  all  but  Moses,  Caleb,  and  Joshua,  had 
died  in  the  wilderness.  The  God  of  Israel, 
as  ever,  had  kept  His  word.* 

It  was  now  the  turn  of  Moses  to  expiate 
his  transgression.  He  was  reminded  by 
the  Lord  of  his  trespass  at  the  waters  of 
Meribah,  and  its  penalty,  and  told  to  pre- 
pare for  his  death.  Meekly  as  ever  the 
great  leader  submitted  to  the  decree  of  his 
Master.  He  first  besought  the  Lord  to 
choose  him  a  successor.  The  request  was 
complied  with  in  the  selection  of  his  faithful 
minister,  Joshua: 

"Take  thee  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun,  a  man 
in  whom  is  the  spirit,  and  lay  thine  hand 
upon  him; 

"And  set  him  before  Eleazer  the  priest, 
and  before  all  the  congregation;  and  give 
him  a  charge  in  their  sight. 

"And  thou  shalt  put  some  of  thine  honor 
upon  him,  that  all  the  congregation  of  the 
children  of  Israel  may  be  obedient. 

"And  he  shall  stand  before  Eleazer  the 
priest;  who  shall  ask  counsel  for  him  after 
the  judgment  of  Urim  before  the  Lord;  at 
His  word  shall  they  go  out,  and  at  His  word 
they  shall  come  in;  both  he  and  all  the 
children  of  Israel  with  him,  even  all  the 
congregation." 

Having  done  as  the  Lord  commanded, 
and  discharged  all  the  trusts  laid  upon 
him,  Moses,  the  prophet  and  law-giver  of 
Israel,  bade  farewell  to  the  people  he  had 
served  so  long  and  faithfully.  He  called 
the  tribes  together,  rehearsed  to  them  their 
history,  instructed  them  anew  in  the  law, 
exhorting  them  to  obedience  and  fidelity  to 
God,  prophesied  of  their  future,  and  blessed 
them.  He  then  ascended  Mount  Nebo, 
from  whose  lofty  height  he  was  permitted 
to  behold  the  land  of  their  inheritance,  spread 


'Numbers,  XIV:28-35. 


out  like  a  glorious  panorama  before  him. 
Having  feasted  his  eyes  on  the  beautiful 
and  beloved  prospect — the  land  where  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob  had  dwelt,  whose 
seed  the  God  they  worshipped  had  sworn 
should  inherit  it;  a  land  rendered  dear  by 
all  the  ties  of  hope  and  history,  but  now 
doubly  precious  in  that  he  beheld  but  could 
not  pass  over  to  possess  it — Moses,  the 
servant  of  the  Lord,  resigned  himself  to 
his  fate.  He  "died  there  in  the  land  of 
Moab,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord. 
And  He  buried  him  in  a  valley  in  the  land 
of  Moab,  over  against  Beth-Peor:  but  no 
man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  unto  this 
day-  (To  be  Continued) 

PREPARE  NOW  FOR  RENEWAL 
OF  ACTIVITY  IN  SEPTEMBER 

~VJ^Tith  the  coming  of  September  and 
*™  the  end  of  the  vacation  period, 
renewed  activity  in  all  Church  groups 
begins.  How  extensive  that  renewal 
of  activity  becomes  is  determined  in 
large  part  by  preparations  made  in  ad- 
vance by  the  leaders  of  the  various 
groups.  Charts  showing  the  attendance 
of  Aaronic  Priesthood  members  at  quo- 
rum meetings  show  a  low  point  during 
July  and  August,  with  September  indi- 
cating a  marked  increase.  This  in- 
crease becomes  more  pronounced  in 
October,  November,  and  December. 
It  is  believed  that  with  proper  plan- 
ning many  more  boys  and  young  men 
can  be  brought  into  activity  in  Septem- 
ber, whereas,  at  present  it  requires  two 
or  three  months  to  bring  attendance 
back  to  normal  after  the  summer  sea- 
son is  over. 

Members  of  bishoprics,  who  are  the 
presidencies  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood 
in  the  wards,  stake  and  ward  commit- 
tees, and  quorum  advisers  are  urged  to 
make  plans  now  to  bring  into  activity  as 
early  in  September  as  possible  every 
quorum  member  who  is  available. 

The  work  being  carried  on  by 
Aaronic  Priesthood  quorums  under  the 
present  program  is  so  important  and 
valuable  to  quorum  members  that  every 
possible  effort  should  be  made  to  extend 
the  benefits  of  the  program  to  as  many 
members  as  possible. 


POCATELLO  STAKE  EXPLORER-SCOUT  CHORUS  WHICH  SANG  IN  THE  TABERNACLE  SATURDAY  NIGHT 
AND  AT  TESTIMONY  MEETING  IN  THE  ASSEMBLY  HALL  SUNDAY  MORNING  DURING  JUNE 
CONFERENCE. 


THE    IMPROVEMENT     ERA,    AUGUST,    1940 


TOP:  CHICAGO  STAKE  PILGRIMAGE  AT 
PETRIFYING  SPRING  PARK  AT  KENOSHA,  WIS- 
CONSIN. 

SECOND:  MORMON  BATTALION  MONUMENT 
BETWEEN  SANTA  FE  AND  ALBUQUERQUE, 
NEW  MEXICO. 

UPPER  CENTER:  ELDER  GEORGE  ALBERT 
SMITH  "REVIEWING  THE  MARCH"  OF  THE  MOR- 
MON BATTALION  BETWEEN  SANTA  FE  AND 
ALBUQUERQUE. 

LOWER  CENTER:  A  CLOSE-UP  OF  THE  MON- 
UMENT  INSCRIPTION. 

BOTTOM:  ALL  ARROWHEAD  AWARD  WINNERS 
—TROOP  2283. 


RESTORATION  ANNIVERSARY 
REPORTS  STILL  BEING 
RECEIVED 

"D  eports  of  the  successful  observance 
•*■*•  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  Restora- 
tion Anniversary  on  May  18th  are  still 
being  received  at  the  office  of  the  Pre- 
siding Bishopric.  Two  of  the  impor- 
tant celebrations  of  the  day  were  those 
of  the  Eastern  States  Mission  and  the 
Chicago  Stake. 

Approximately  one  hundred  Saints, 
friends,  and  missionaries  gathered  on 
the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna  River 
near  the  spot  where  John  the  Baptist 
conferred  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  on 
Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver  Cowdery. 
President  Frank  Evans  of  the  Eastern 
States  Mission  presided  at  the  service, 
with  District  President  Albert  R.  White 
conducting.  The  principal  speaker  of 
the  service  was  Elder  George  Albert 
Smith  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve. 
This  was  his  first  visit  to  Harmony 
(now  Oakland)  Pennsylvania,  the  vil- 
lage in  which  Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver 
Cowdery  were  translating  the  Book  of 
Mormon  when  the  Aaronic  Priesthood 
was  restored  following  their  prayers 
for  information  regarding  the  principle 
of  baptism. 

Newspapers  of  the  vicinity  gave 
highly  complimentary  notices  of  the  pil- 
grimage, the  editor  of  one,  The  Evening 
Transcript,  suggesting  that  a  monument 
should  be  located  at  the  site  where  such 
an  important  event  occurred. 

The  Chicago  Stake  outing  was  held 
at  Petrifying  Spring  Park,  at  Kenosha, 
Wisconsin.  Accompanying  the  group 
were  eighteen  non-members  and  vis- 
itors, in  addition  to  a  splendid  repre- 
sentation of  both  Melchizedek  and 
Aaronic  Priesthood  members. 

PRIESTHOOD  ACTIVITY  AIDS 
IN  GAINING  AWARD 

/""Outstanding  distinction  has  come  to 
members  of  Explorer  Troop  No. 
2283  of  the  Price  Second  Ward  of 
Carbon  Stake.  Every  member  of  this 
troop  has  been  given  the  Y.  M.  M.  I.  A. 
"Arrowhead"  award  for  meritorious 
service  in  the  Explorer  progam. 

One  of  the  requirements  for  receiv- 
ing this  award  is  that  the  member  shall 
have  had  a  satisfactory  record  of  ac- 
tivity in  his  Priesthood  quorum.  Each 
member  of  the  troop  qualified  with 
high  rating  in  Priesthood  activity.  Wil- 
liam Campbell,  now  a  member  of  the 
bishopric,  is  leader  of  the  troop  and  is 
assisted  by  L.  B.  Gidding,  chairman  of 
the  Troop  Committee,  and  William 
Grogan,  a  member  of  the  committee. 
Vaughn  A.  Cutler,  Stake  Explorer 
Commissioner,  has  rendered  valuable 
assistance  in  promoting  the  troop. 


MONUMENTS  EXTEND 
MISSIONARY  INFLUENCE 

HTwo  monuments  which  are  already 
•■■  extending  valuable  missionary  in- 
fluence in  the  areas  in  which  they  have 
been  erected  were  unveiled  on  June 
16th.  Both  were  the  result  of  planning 
by  local  groups  and  were  completed 
with  the  cooperation  of  the  Presiding 
Bishop's  Office  and  the  Utah  Pioneer 
Trails  and  Landmarks  Association. 

On  Highway  No.  85  between  Santa 
Fe  and  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico, 
which  follows  the  Mormon  Battalion 
trail  of  1846,  a  monument  twenty-two 
feet  high,  built  of  stone  and  cement, 
and  containing  a  bronze  tablet  weighing 
two  hundred  sixty  pounds,  tells  a  brief 
story  of  the  organization,  the  march, 
and  the  accomplishments  of  the  Mor- 
mon Battalion.  The  tablet  contains  a 
map  showing  the  route  of  the  Battalion, 
giving  special  prominence  to  four  out- 
standing points  connected  with  its  his- 
tory. These  are :  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa, 
where  the  Battalion  was  mustered  in; 
Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  where  the 
troops  were  outfitted;  Santa  Fe,  New 
Mexico,  where  the  command  was 
changed,  with  Captain  Phillip  Saint 
George  Cook  being  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  column;  and  San  Diego,  Cali- 
fornia, the  end  of  the  twenty-two- 
hundred-mile  trek. 

Elder  George  Albert  Smith  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  and  president 
of  Utah  Pioneer  Trails  and  Landmarks 
Association  was  the  guest  speaker  at 
the  dedication  ceremonies  which  were 
participated  in  by  notables  from  the 
state  of  New  Mexico, 

The  monument  was  erected  by  a  com- 
mittee representing  principally  the 
Church  branches  in  the  two  cities  with 
the  assistance  of  state  officials  and  edu- 
cational leaders  of  New  Mexico.  It 
has  been  deeded  to  the  state  of  New 
Mexico  and  will  become  a  part  of  a 
system  of  monuments  and  markers  now 
being  erected  in  that  state. 

On  the  same  day,  June  1 6th,  a  monu- 
ment was  erected  on  the  Indian  Reser- 
vation in  northern  Arizona  honoring 
Tom  Polacca,  a  leader  of  the  Corn 
Clan  of  the  Hopis,  who  had  been  out- 
standing as  a  crusader  for  better  sani- 
tation and  education  among  his  people. 
The  dedicatory  service  occurred  dur- 
ing a  conference  of  the  Navajo  and 
Hopi  district  of  the  Snowflake  Stake 
Mission.  As  a  part  of  the  exercises, 
twenty-two  Indians,  mostly  adults, 
were  received  into  the  Church  by  bap- 
tism. Representatives  of  the  Hopi, 
Navajo,  Tewa,  Papago,  Shasta,  and 
other  Indian  tribes  participated. 

Many  of  those  attending  were  de- 
scendants of  Indians  who  first  heard  the 
Gospel  through  Jacob  Hamblin,  "Apos- 
tle to  the  Lamanites,"  who  first  led  mis- 
sionaries among  the  Indians  of  that 
section. 

The  monument  was  dedicated  by 
President  David  A.  Butler  of  the  Snow- 
flake  Stake. 

493 


CONDUCTED  UNDER  THE  SUPERVISION   OF  THE   PRESIDING    BISHOPRIC — EDITED    BY    JOHN    D.    GILES 


Ix/wtcL  Jsuzdi&i&  VybiAAaqsL  $?i  Sspbun&aA,  1%Q 

THE  YOUTH  OF  ZION 

HPhe  principal  concern  of  the  Church  today  is  its  youth.    To  the  youth 

of  today  we  must  look  for  the  future  guidance  and  leadership  of  the 
Church.  To  the  youth  of  today  we  must  look  for  the  future  growth  and 
progress  of  the  Church.  To  youth  we  must  look  for  missionaries  to  carry 
the  Gospel  message  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

How  well  the  work  of  the  Church  will  be  done  in  the  years  to  come 
will  depend  upon  how  well  the  youth  of  today  are  taught,  grounded  in,  and 
imbued  with,  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel. 

In  the  hands  of  youth,  many  of  whom  are  going  to  distant  places  to 
gain  a  livelihood,  is  the  good  name  of  the  Church.  By  their  actions,  when 
they  get  out  in  the  world,  the  Church  will  be  judged.  By  their  manner  of 
living  they  will  either  honor  and  magnify  the  Church  in  the  eyes  of  men, 
or  drag  its  good  name  in  the  mire. 

To  the  youth  of  Zion  a  great  heritage  has  been  promised.  Born  under 
the  covenant,  they  are  entitled,  if  worthy,  to  great  blessings.  Their  destiny 
among  the  children  of  men  has  been  made  clear.     They  are  to  be  leaders. 

To  realize  the  blessings  to  which  they  are  heirs,  youth  must  be  prepared 
and  qualified.  The  Church  has  provided  organizations  and  programs  to 
bring  about  this  preparation  and  to  enable  every  young  person  who  is 
willing  to  make  the  effort  to  qualify  for  the  blessings  and  experiences  which 
lie  ahead. 

This  month  the  auxiliary  organizations  of  the  Church,  some  of  which 
have  recessed  for  the  summer,  will  resume  activity.  In  all  groups  there  will 
be  a  revival  of  interest.  Many  who  have  been  away  on  vacations  will 
return  and  will  be  available  for  participation. 

The  opportunities  offered  by  the  Priesthood  quorums  and  Church 
auxiliaries  to  the  youth  of  Zion  are  probably  unequalled.  Every  young 
person  who  will  take  advantage  of  the  programs  offered  will  receive  educa- 
tion, training,  and  experience  in  the  doctrines,  ordinances,  and  practices  of 
the  Church  that  will  lead  to  greater  blessings  and  exalting  experiences. 
Thousands  who  have  neglected  their  opportunities  in  the  past  now  have 
regrets  in  place  of  blessings. 

Parents  should  encourage  their  children  to  avail  themselves  of  these 
invaluable  helps  and  guides  to  success  and  future  progress.  Members  of 
all  organizations  should  encourage  their  friends  and  neighbors  to  participate 
actively  in  the  programs.  We  should  all  be  missionaries  for  the  Priesthood 
quorums  and  auxiliary  organizations. 

New  programs  are  beginning  this  month  in  many  groups.  An  effort 
should  be  made  now  to  interest  our  young  people  particularly  in  them. 
Parents  have  the  most  direct  responsibility.  By  example  and  precept,  they 
are  urged  to  use  their  influence  with  their  children  to  interest  them  in  the 
privileges  and  blessings  to  which  they  are  entitled  as  members  of  this  great 
Church. 


HOW  CIGARETTES  AFFECT 
CHARACTER,  HABITS,  AND 
EFFICIENCY 

Cuperintendent  P.  L.  Lord  made  an 
^  investigation  of  the  work  of  four 
hundred  boys,  two  hundred  of  whom 
smoked  cigarettes  and  two  hundred  of 
whom  abstained  therefrom,  and  re- 
ported as  follows:* 

Non- 
Smokers  smokers 

Nervous    14  1 

Impaired  hearing  13  1 

Poor  memory  12  1 

Bad  manners 16  2 

Low  deportment  13  1 

^  *0'Shea,  M.  V.  Tobacco  and  Mental 
Efficiency,  page  122,  1925. 

494 


Poor  physical  condition....  12  2 

Bad    moral    condition 14  0 

Bad  mental  condition 18  1 

Street  loafers  16  0 

Out  nights 15  0 

Careless  in  dress  12  4 

Not  neat  or  clean 12  1 

Truants 10  0 

Low  grades 18  3 

No  promotion   79  2 

Over  age 19  2 

Untruthful    9  0 

Slow  thinkers  19  3 

Poor  workers  17  0 

According  to  Dr.  D.  H.  Kress  the 
chief  reason  for  the  following  condi- 
tion is  the  cigarette :  *  *     Only  twenty- 

**Is  the  Cigarette  Destroying  Our 
Young  People?  Dr.  D.  H.  Kress,  p.  3. 


three  out  of  1,000  boys  who  enter  the 
fifth  grade  in  our  American  schools 
graduate  from  colleges.  Out  of  every 
1,000  boys  who  enter  the  fifth  grade, 
only  830  will  return  the  next  year.  The 
seventh  grade  will  receive  but  710  of 
the  original  1,000,  and  the  eighth  grade 
634.  Only  342  of  the  original  1,000 
will  enter  high  school,  and  only  139 
will  graduate  from  high  school.  Sev- 
enty-two will  go  to  college,  and  but 
twenty-three  will  receive  their  diplomas 
on  Commencement  Day,  with  a  train- 
ing for  professional  and  business  life. 
Out  of  the  original  1,000  boys  who 
enter  the  fifth  grade  in  our  public 
schools,  977  drop  out  before  the  com- 
pletion of  the  college  course. 

WORD  OF  WISDOM  TEACHER'S 
MESSAGE  FOR  AUGUST 

'"P'he  message  for  Ward  Teaching  for 
the  month  of  August  under  the  title 
"Financial,  Spiritual,  and  Physical 
Power"  is  intended  to  direct  the  at- 
tention of  members  of  the  Church  ev- 
erywhere to  the  revelation  given  more 
than  one  hundred  years  ago  for  the 
purpose  of  teaching  the  Saints  what 
to  eat  and  drink,  and  what  should  be 
avoided. 

The  Word  of  Wisdom  was  given 
"showing  forth  the  order  and  will  of 
God  in  the  temporal  salvation  of  all 
Saints  in  the  last  days."  It  is  signifi- 
cant that  the  Lord  considered  the  tem- 
poral salvation  of  His  people  important 
enough  to  give  to  Joseph  Smith  a  spe- 
cial revelation  on  that  subject  alone. 
No  clearer,  more  easily  understood,  or 
more  definite  code  of  health  has  ever 
been  given  to  mankind.  Its  teachings 
are  simple;  its  promises  are  great.  It 
designates  food  and  drink  which  should 
be  taken  for  health  and  strength,  and 
forbids  the  use  of  articles  which  are 
definitely  injurious  to  the  human  body. 

It  should  be  enough  for  any  Latter- 
day  Saint  to  read  the  second  paragraph 
only  of  the  Word  of  Wisdom.  Any- 
thing that  shows  forth  "the  order  and 
will  of  God"  should  be  accepted  by 
Latter-day  Saints  without  question;  but, 
if  this  is  not  enough,  the  added  fact  that: 
the  Word  of  Wisdom  was  given  for 
our  temporal  salvation  should  surely 
be  sufficient. 

The  fact  that  the  Word  of  Wisdom, 
is  "adapted  to  the  capacity  of  the  weak 
and  the  weakest  of  all  Saints"  leaves 
every  person  without  excuse  for  failure 
to  observe  this  law  of  the  Lord. 

It  is  expected  that  the  Ward  Teach- 
ers in  their  visits  during  the  month  of 
August  will  direct  the  attention  of  all 
Latter-day  Saint  families  to  this  reve- 
lation, which  has  been  accepted  as  a 
commandment  from  the  Lord  to  this 
people. 


The  Search  Goes  On— An  Account  of  Genealogical 
Activity  in  The  Eastern  States  Mission 

By  WILLIAM  MULDER 

From  data  furnished  by 
ELDER  MERRITT  H.  EGAN 

Genealogical  Representative,  Eastern  States  Mission 


Tf  there  is  any  place  in  the  United 
*  States — other  than  among  Latter-day 
Saints — where  we  find  people  nurturing 
pride  in  ancestry  and  joining  family  or- 
ganizations and  patriotic  societies,  it 
is  in  the  east  along  the  Atlantic  sea- 
board, the  area  of  the  original  thirteen 
colonies,  geographically  and  politically 
the  birthplace  of  the  nation.  Descend- 
ants of  original  Dutch  and  English  fa- 
thers of  the  country,  conscious  perhaps 
that  their  heritage  is  just  a  little  older 
and  historically  more  significant  than 
that  of  their  followers  to  the  new  world, 
especially  concern  themselves  with  the 
records  of  their  antecedents — some  as  a 
matter  of  personal  pride,  others  in  an 
effort  to  meet  membership  requirements 
of  patriotic  societies  (a  search  which 
quickly  becomes  its  own  motivation  to 
go  on ) ,  a  great  many  inexplicably  as  a 
pastime  or  nobby,  and  not  a  few  because 
they  somehow  sense  the  importance  of 
keeping  a  family  record. 

Feeding  these  growing  interests 
are  numerous,  well-equipped  public  and 
institutional  libraries,  many  of  them 
with  large  genealogical  and  historical 
collections.  Genealogical  and  bio- 
graphical publishing  companies,  with 
their  files  of  pedigrees  and  special  pub- 
lications devoted  to  the  field,  facilitate 
research,  and  local  patriotic,  historical, 
and  genealogical  societies,  by  virtue  of 
their  organization,  encourage  the  eager 
investigator. 

Workers  in  the  Eastern  States  Mis- 
sion thus  find  themselves  in  a  stimulat- 
ing genealogical  environment,  and  they 
have  not  been  slow  to  take  advantage 
of  it.  To  make  friends  with  the  people 
in  their  vicinity  interested  in  genealogy 
has  been  the  particular  objective  of  the 
Genealogical  Committees  in  the 
branches  of  the  Eastern  States  Mission. 
In  Schenectady,  New  York,  a  city  with 
a  predominantly  Dutch  heritage,  where 
the  presidents  of  Union  College  have  all 
been  historians  and  genealogists  and 
where  the  family  tree  of  the  present 
mayor,  Mills  Ten  Eyck,  finds  its  roots 
among  the  early  Dutch  in  the  region, 
the  Albany-Schenectady  Genealogical 
Society  was  recently  organized  as  the 
direct  outcome  of  one  such  friend-mak- 
ing endeavor. 

By  way  of  a  magazine  article, 
Brother  Ira  T.  Terry  of  Schenectady 
met  a  Mr.  Howard  A.  McConville,  as 


A  year  ago  last  April  Conference, 
Dr.  John  A.  Widtsoe  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  asked  the  mis- 
sion presidents  of  the  Church  what 
single  phase  of  the  Gospel  was  most 
responsible  in  their  respective  mis- 
sions for  making  new  friends,  new 
interests,  new  converts.  President 
Frank  Evans  of  the  Eastern  States 
Mission  looked  into  the  subject  and 
concluded  that  genealogy,  and  its  at- 
tendant Gospel  ordinances  and  be- 
liefs, was  the  greatest  factor  in  his 
mission,  as  a  result  of  which  investi- 
gation he  brought  to  the  April  Con- 
ference of  1940  the  data  from  which 
this  account  has  been  compiled. 


experienced  as  he  was  interested  in 
genealogy,  whom  he  invited  to  speak 
before  the  members  of  the  Church  at 
their  next  genealogical  meeting.  Mr. 
McConville  had  been  endeavoring  for 
years  to  organize  a  genealogical  so- 
ciety, and  the  interest  shown  by  the 
Latter-day  Saints  encouraged  him. 
Finally,  early  this  year,  after  more  talks 
before  other  interested  groups,  the 
Schenectady  Genealogical  Society  was 
organized  with  a  charter,  officers,  and 
committees  on  program,  membership, 
records,  and  publicity  and  publication. 
With  Mr.  McConville,  a  specialist  on 
lubrication  for  General  Electric  Com- 
pany, as  president,  other  officers  in- 
clude as  vice  president  a  textual  critic 
and  special  writer  in  the  editorial  sec- 
tion of  the  publicity  department  of  the 
same  company,  and  as  treasurer,  the 
art  director  also  from  the  same  depart- 
ment. Brother  Terry,  elected  secretary, 
incidentally  also  is  employed  with  Gen- 
eal  Electric — evidence,  apparently,  of 
a  highly  contagious  interest  which 
spread  among  his  business  associates. 

An  avowed  purpose  of  the  society, 
one-third  of  whose  members  are  Latter- 
day  Saints,  was  reported  in  the  Schen- 
ectady Gazette  as  follows: 

We  have  been  asked  whether  we  intend 
to  limit  our  work  to  Mohawk  and  Hudson 
valley  families.  The  answer  is,  decidedly 
not.  ...  It  is  our  desire  to  aid  anyone,  no 
matter  from  what  part  of  the  country  he 
comes,  who  is  interested  in  the  subject.  Nor 
is  our  interest  limited  to  those  whose  fam- 
ilies have  been  in  the  United  States  for 
a  number  of  generations.  We  should  like 
to  encourage  and  promote  the  starting  of 


records  by  those  whose  ancestors  have  been 
in  this  country  for  only  two  or  three  gen- 
erations. 

Already  the  society  is  bearing  fruit: 
members  are  preparing  for  the  perma- 
nent files  of  the  Society  the  baptismal 
records  of  the  Schenectady  First  Dutch 
Reformed  Church  from  1694  to  1800. 
Others  have  census  and  private  burial 
records.  Many  have  traced  their  fam- 
ily pedigrees  to  the  ninth  generation. 
All  this  material  will  be  made  available 
to  the  Genealogical  Society  of  Utah. 

Tn  the  copying  of  cemetery  inscrip- 
■  tions  the  Eastern  States  Mission  is 
finding  another  source  of  genealogical 
wealth.  First  copying  began  in  the 
spring  of  1939.  With  twenty-one 
branches  cooperating,  in  a  year's  time 
more  than  fifteen  thousand  records  have 
been  transcribed.  Blanks  filled  in  di- 
rectly from  headstones  are  sent  to  the 
Genealogical  Society  of  Utah  in  alpha- 
betical order,  where  they  are  put  in 
typewritten  form  and  filed  according  to 
place.  Researchers  in  Salt  Lake  thus 
have  access  to  as  much  information  as 
they  could  otherwise  obtain  only  by 
traveling  to  the  East. 

The  copying  of  cemetery  records, 
especially  ideal  as  a  summer  activity, 
has  an  additional,  and  by  no  means 
secondary,  value:  excursions  to  the 
country  to  copy  the  inscriptions  from 
old  cemeteries  have  taken  the  form  of 
picnics,  to  which  have  been  attracted 
members  who  had  never  taken  part  in 
genealogical  activities.  Fascinated,  and 
once  initiated  into  an  exciting  phase  of 
genuine  research,  they  have  continued 
their  active  interest. 

"Forgotten"  cemeteries  are  the  spe- 
cial object  of  this  undertaking  in  the 
Eastern  States — cemeteries  situated  in 
the  country  where  few  people  live  near 
them,  where  the  village  was  never  in- 
corporated and  thus  no  recording  made 
in  any  vital  statistics  register.  Cem- 
eteries not  "lost"  in  this  way  need  not 
be  visited  for  direct  transcription,  for 
their  record  books  can  be  copied  more 
rapidly  by  means  of  the  microfilm.  A 
member  of  the  Jamestown  Branch  is 
performing  great  service  in  the  recovery 
of  forgotten  cemeteries.  His  business 
takes  him  along  country  roads  where 
he  often  finds  tombstones,  sometimes 
just  two  or  three,  buried  in  the  soil  or 
otherwise  hidden  from  view. 

Holding  key  positions  in  the  cam- 
paign to  make  members  genealogy-con- 
scious in  the  Eastern  States  are  the 
missionaries.  Wherever  they  have  been 
well-informed  and  well-trained  in  this 
special  field,  the  work  has  thrived :  peo- 
ple have  been  stimulated,  organiza- 
tions have  sprung  up,  friends  have 
been  made  of  non-members.  A  sam- 
pling of  the  correspondence  that  reaches 
(Concluded  on  page  498) 

495 


liteiiW^ 


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TRACY  Y.  CANNON, 
CTiar'rman 

GEORGE  D.  PYPER, 

First  Vice  Chairman  and  Treasurer 

LE  ROY  J.  ROBERTSON. 

Second   Vice    Chairman 

N.  LORENZO  MITCHELL, 
Secretary 


GENERAL  CHURCH  MUSIC  COMMITTEE 

General  Offices  General  Church 
Music  Committee 

50  NORTH  MAIN  STREET 
SALT  LAKE  CITY,  UTAH 


MARVIN  O.  ASHTON 

FRANK  W.  ASPER 

J.  SPENCER  CORNWALL 

ALFRED  M.  DURHAM 

LESTER  HINCHCLIFF 

GERRIT  DE  JONG,  JR. 

D.  STERLING  WHEELWRIGHT 

ALEXANDER  SCHREINER 

FREDA  JENSEN 

FRANCES    GRANT   BENNETT 


THE  CHOIR  IN  THE 
SMALL  WARD 

By  Dr.  Frank  W.  Asper 

f**  etting  a  good  choir  in  a  small  ward 
^  appears  to  some  an  almost  hopeless 
task,  but  it  actually  is  one  of  the  most 
inspiring  accomplishments  in  our 
Church.  The  writer  has  heard  some 
of  the  very  best  choruses  in  the  Church 
in  some  of  our  smaller  wards.  Our 
statistics  show  that  the  average  popu- 
lation in  our  wards  is  about  five  hun- 
dred. Inasmuch  as  it  takes  nearly  as 
many  people  to  hold  the  positions  in  a 
small  ward  as  in  a  large,  this  means 
that  in  the  smaller  wards  practically 
everyone  eligible  is  occupied  in  some 
position. 

This  condition,  far  from  being  a 
liability,  should  be  recognized  as  a 
great  help  in  the  formation  of  a  ward 
choir.  When  people  occupy  Church 
positions,  it  seems  to  make  them  alert, 
and  they  learn  to  make  the  most  of 
their  time,  and  they  also  become  more 
imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  and 
seem  to  be  able  to  make  their  minutes 
count  for  more.  The  Church  has 
found  an  increase  in  activity  wherever 
they  have  divided  a  ward.  Being  a 
small  unit,  the  members  are  always 
proud  to  support  anything  to  make  their 
ward  outstanding.  Being  more  com- 
pact geographically,  they  come  closer 
to  the  real  community  spirit.  It  has 
also  been  found  that  the  percentage  of 
attendance  at  all  meetings  increases  and 
the  people  become  much  more  reliable 
and  accept  their  responsibility  more 
seriously. 

Because  everyone  in  the  small  ward 
has  a  crowded  schedule  and  there  must 
be  no  effort  or  time  lost  in  making  the 
choir  a  success,  the  wise  bishop  will 
choose  for  a  director  the  most  efficient 
person  he  can  possibly  get.  This  is 
most  essential,  for  when  the  members 
must  be  chosen  from  a  ward  where 
everyone  is  active,  efficiency  is  im- 
perative in  all  things  pertaining  to  the 
choir,  or  there  will  be  no  choir.  After 
the  selection  of  the  director,  two  prob- 
lems present  themselves  which  must  be 
squarely  met,  for  if  they  are  not,  the 
choir  cannot  exist.  These  are,  namely: 
personnel  and  rehearsal  time. 

Members  should  be  recruited  from 
the  best  singers  in  the  ward.  It  is  best 
to  start  with  eight  members — two  for 
each  of  the  four  parts,  and  it  is  also 
recommended,  if  possible,  to  have  one 
high,  light  voice  on  each  part,  and  one 
more  robust  with  heavier  tones  in  the 
middle  and  lower  ranges.  The  leader 
will  find  that  it  is  far  easier  to  train 

496 


eight  singers  than  more  than  that  num- 
ber, and  after  the  choir  of  eight  is  firmly 
established  it  will  be  a  simpler  matter  to 
add  one  or  more  voices  to  each  part. 

The  efficient  director  will  see  that  the 
best  members  of  the  ward  are  chosen  to 
sing,  just  as  a  Sunday  School  teacher 
or  Primary  teacher  is  called  to  his  of- 
fice. Remember  that  when  the  choir  is 
so  small,  one  well-meaning  but  ineffi- 
cient volunteer  can  mean  the  difference 
between  success  and  failure.  Usually  the 
problem  of  finding  tenors  who  can  carry 
their  parts  alone  is  the  greatest,  ana 
the  director  should  select  the  best  two 
he  can  get.  If  these  cannot  carry  their 
part  independently,  it  may  be  necessary 
to  devote  a  few  minutes  to  them  each 
week  for  a  time  until  they  become  ac- 
customed to  the  routine.  After  select- 
ing the  two  for  the  most  difficult  part 
( usually  tenors ) ,  get  two  of  each  of  the 
others  that  you  think  will  blend.  Be 
very  insistent  that  they  can  all  sing  on 
pitch,  for  in  such  a  small  group  one 
singer  can  easily  spoil  all.  After  the 
choir  is  well-rehearsed  and  singing  well 
together,  one  voice  to  each  part  should 
be  added,  until  there  are  twenty  mem- 
bers, but  over  this  number,  all  things 
being  equal,  it  will  be  best  to  let  the 
soprano  and  bass  slightly  outnumber 
the  alto  and  tenor. 

It  is  not  usually  a  difficult  task  to 
find  a  rehearsal  time  for  eight  people, 
certainly  not  nearly  as  hard  as  it  is  for 
twice  that  number.  When  there  are 
so  few,  the  singers  will  all  respond  and 
try  their  best  to  be  at  every  rehearsal 
for  they  know  there  will  be  no  one  to 
take  their  places,  and  with  that  spirit 
that  is  so  characteristic  of  the  smaller 
wards  they  accept  the  responsibility. 
The  most  convenient  time  is  the  most 
successful,  and  many  leaders  have 
found  it  unnecessary  to  take  a  whole 
evening  for  the  rehearsal  of  such  a 
small  group.  One  of  the  best  possible 
times  is  immediately  following  Sunday 
School,  for  the  reason  that  this  is  the 
most  universally  attended  service  we 
have.  One  may  then  reasonably  expect 
all  of  the  singers  to  be  present,  more 
so  than  at  night  when  so  many  things 
can  interfere.  If  the  rehearsing  is  done 
after  Sunday  School,  be  sure  to  avoid 
having  the  members  see  someone  else 
"for  just  a  minute,"  for  where  they  re- 
hearse only  a  short  period  the  slightest 
deviation  from  absolute  punctuality  in 
attendance  can  very  easily  mean  failure 
of  the  whole  project. 

If  the  director  has  planned  his  re- 
hearsal time  well,  the  group  need  not 
rehearse  more  than  half  an  hour  each 
week.    But  the  director  must  have  every 


minute  definitely  planned  to  accomplish 
something  which  will  show  results.  One 
cannot  hope  to  hold  such  an  organiza- 
tion together  where  everyone  is  busy 
if  the  director  comes  to  the  rehearsal 
and  says  "What  shall  we  sing?"  and 
proceeds  to  "try  over"  several  num- 
bers to  "see  how  they  sound." 

It  might  be  well  to  have  the  chorus 
learn  one  or  two  hymns  at  the  very 
first,  but  break  away  from  these  as 
quickly  as  possible  so  that  the  choir 
will  be  singing  something  with  which 
the  congregation  is  not  too  familiar. 
One  cannot  expect  a  congregation  to 
be  interested  in  what  the  choir  is  doing 
if  what  they  sing  is  too  well  known. 
It  must  also  have  the  interest  of  those 
who  are  listening.  There  are  many  an- 
thems that  can  be  used,  and  a  list  of  a 
few  easier  ones  that  might  be  used  for 
such  a  combination  may  be  found  at 
the  end  of  this  article. 

In  cases  where  there  is  a  solo  for 
soprano  it  may  also  be  sung  by  a  tenor 
if  the  choir  does  not  have  a  soprano 
of  adequate  quality  or  training  to  do 
well  with  the  solo;  and  likewise  a  so- 
prano may  sing  a  part  which  is  marked 
for  tenor.  The  alto  solo  parts  may  also 
be  exchanged  with  baritone  or  bass. 
With  the  combination  of  eight  voices 
the  director  will  also  find  that  he  can 
sing  numbers  written  in  eight  parts  or 
he  will  be  able  to  use  a  ladies'  trio  or 
quartet  or  male  quartet,  and  this  should 
be  done  often  to  give  variety  in  the 
music  presented. 

It  is  surprising  how  little  time  the  di- 
rector will  have  to  devote  to  planning 
rehearsals  and  music  ahead  of  time  in 
comparison  with  the  results  that  he  can 
achieve.  He  will  find  that  where  he  can 
use  variety  to  relieve  the  monotonous 
routine  of  the  choir's  singing — keeping 
the  choir  from  singing  four-part  com- 
positions every  week — the  results  will 
repay  manifold  the  effort  which  is  put 
into  it. 

Suggested  Anthems 

For  numbers  that  are  not  too  difficult,  all 
of  those  in  the  Church  Chorister,  published 
by  Hall  &  McCreary  Co.,  may  be  used. 
Most  of  those  in  the  Deseret  Anthems,  Vol. 
II,  and  the  Carl  Fischer  Anthem  Collection 
will  also  be  found  practical.  There  is  an 
endless  list  of  numbers  that  are  not  hard, 
that  may  be  used  with  a  small  choir,  such  as: 

"Incline  Thine  Ear,"  Himmel,  Composer; 
Schirmer,  Publisher. 

"Tarry  With  Me,  O  My  Savior,"  Bald- 
win, Composer;  Gray,  Publisher. 

"As  Christ  Upon  the  Cross,"  Bullard, 
Composer;  Ditson,  Publisher. 

"The  Lord  in  Strength  Victorious,"  Ne- 
vin,  Composer;  Ditson,  Publisher. 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


mutual 


SPEECH  MANUAL 

The  Speech  Manual  is  available 
at  the  General  Board  offices  for  25c 
a  copy, 

THREE  SISTERS  BECOME 
Y.  W.  M.  I.  A.  PRESIDENTS 

rpHREE  daughters  of  Mrs.  W.  H. 
Dalton  of  Roy,  Utah,  were  re- 
cently made  presidents  of  the  Young 
Women's  Mutual  Improvement  organ- 
izations of  their  respective  wards,  with- 
in a  week's  time.  None  knew  of  the 
others'  appointments,  until  they  were 
so  advised  by  their  proud  and  worthy 
mother. 

Mrs.  Florence  Dalton  Andreasen  was 
made  president  of  the  East  Mont 
Ward,  Pasadena  Stake,  in  Los  Angeles. 

Mrs.  Ida  Dalton  Draayer  was  made 
president  of  the  Clinton  Ward,  Weber 
Stake,  Clinton,  Utah. 

Mrs,  Rose  Dalton  Hardy  was  made 
president  of  the  Colonial  Heights 
Ward,  Portland  Stake,  Portland, 
Oregon. 


OCTOBER  ASSEMBLY 
PROGRAM 

T)lans  should  be  made  in  September 
for  the  assembly  program  which 
will  be  given  October  22nd  in  every 
ward.  Bee-Hive  leaders  should  co- 
operate with  ward  executives  and  ac- 
tivity directors  who  might  assist  in  the 
presentation  of  this  program.  For 
complete  program  outline,  see  Exec- 
utive and  Community  Activity  Manual, 
pages  117-121.  Musical  numbers  might 
be  added  to  the  suggested  program. 

BEE-HIVE  DOUBLE  PARTY 
FOR  SEPTEMBER 
Purpose: 

TP'o  arouse  an  interest  in  the  "dou- 
x  bling"  of  Bee-Hive  membership  as 
a  part  of  the  Jubilee  Year,  and  to  pro- 
vide an  opportunity  to  get  acquainted 
with  all  girls  of  Bee-Hive  age  at  the 
beginning  of  the  fall  season. 
Time: 

A  Friday  or  Saturday  night  in  Sep- 
tember, as  soon  as  possible  after  Mu- 
tual meetings  have  begun.    Early  eve- 
ning is  preferable. 
Place: 

A  ward  or  stake  amusement  hall,  un- 
der stake  or  ward  leadership.  (Op- 
tional.) (Concluded  on  page  498) 


1.  TAFT  BRANCH  GOLD  AND  GREEN  BALL 
QUEEN  AND  HER  COURT,  HELD  IN 
THE  BAKERSFIELD,  CALIF.,   DISTRICT. 


2.  BEE-HIVE  GIRLS  OF  SOUTH  SANPETE 
STAKE  WHO  PRESENTED  A  SUNDAY 
EVENING  SERVICE. 


3.  SPRING  CITY  WARD  GOLD  AND  GREEN 
BALL  QUEEN  AND  ATTENDANTS,  NORTH 
SANPETE  STAKE. 


4.    PANAMA  CITY  BEE-HIVE  CLASS,  SOUTH 
PORT,    FLORIDA. 


5.  GOLD  AND  GREEN  BALL  QUEEN  AND 
ATTENDANTS  AT  FARMINGTON  WARD, 
YOUNG  STAKE,  FARMINGTON,  NEW 
MEXICO. 


GOLD  AND  GREEN  BALL  WITH  QUEEN 
AND  HER  COURT  WHICH  WAS  ONE  OF 
THE  HIGHLIGHTS  OF  THE  M.  I.  A.  AC- 
TIVITY THIS  SEASON  AT  REDDING, 
CALIFORNIA  MISSION. 


497 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


( Concluded  from  page  497) 

Invitations: 

These  should  be  issued  as  early  as  pos- 
sible, to  give  the  girls  sufficient  time  to 
invite  guests  and  to  plan  their  costumes. 
Write  the  invitation  on  a  doubled  piece  of 
paper  or  cards,  with  either  a  question  mark 
on  one  side  and  the  invitation  on  the  other, 
or  the  invitation  on  both  sides.  A  rhyming 
invitation  might  be  more  attractive  to  the 
girls.  The  following  is  a  suggestion — 
better  ones  might  well  be  substituted: 

"It's    a  Bee-Hive   'Double'    party — double 

fun  to  the  end! 
There's  to  be  double  crowd — so  do  bring 

a  friend. 
Please  costume  with  her — represent  some 

strange  pair; 
You'll  receive   double   welcome — so   will 

you  be  there? 
Time  Place  

Date " 

Decorations: 

To  add  to  the  general  fun  atmosphere, 
signs  might  be  placed  around  the  hall,  such 
as: — "Anyone  seeing  double,  hearing 
double,  or  talking  double  does  so  at  her 
own  risk."  "Anyone  not  having  double 
fun  is  subject  to  double  fine."  "Any  re- 
semblance to  persons  living  or  dead  is 
purely  coincidental,"  etc. 

Costuming: 

If  additional  girls  of  Bee-Hive  age  are 
not  available  to  invite  to  the  party,  have 
the  girls  pair  off  within  their  classes  and 
costume  to  represent  "doubles"  with  which 
they  are  familiar.  The  following  are  sug- 
gestive: Black  and  Blue;  Two  Little  Girls 
in  Blue;  The  Gold  Dust  Twins;  Bo-Peep  and 
a  Sheep;  Red  Riding  Hood  and  the  Wolf; 
Cinderella  and  the  Prince;  Jack  Sprat  and 
His  Wife;  Hansel  and  Gretel. 

Entertainment: 

Appoint  someone  in  advance  to  be  re- 
sponsible for  games  and  entertainment. 
Games  should  be  started  as  soon  as  the  first 
girls  arrive,  so  that  those  coming  later 
might  join  right  into  the  activities  with 
no  disturbance.  The  following  are  sug- 
gestions for  types  of  activities  during  the 
evening : 

1.  Each  girl  must  do  exactly  what  her 
"double"  does  throughout  the  party.  The 
two  must  ask  and  answer  questions  to- 
gether, sit  down  and  stand  up  together, 
laugh  together,  walk  and  run  together,  etc. 

2.  "Double  songs"  would  be  very  much 
in  order  and  would  provide  a  great  deal  of 
fun.  Divide  the  group  in  two,  letting  half 
sing  one  song  while  the  other  half  sings 
another.  The  following  combinations  are 
very  usable: 

a.  "Keep  the  Home  Fires  Burning"  and 
"There's  a  Long,  Long  Trail." 

b.  "Solomon  Levi"  and  "A  Spanish  Cav- 
alier." 

c.  "Way  Down  Upon  the  Swanee  River" 
and  "Humoresque"  (hum  the  latter). 

3.  Get-acquainted  mixers  which  provide 
opportunity  for  all  "doubles"  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  all  other  "doubles"  will  serve 
as  good  ice-breakers. 

4.  Relays  requiring  "double"  lines  will 
no  doubt  form  the  largest  part  of  the  games. 
Girls  will  enjoy  racing  opposite  their  own 
"doubles."  Make  sure  that  a  good  variety 
of  relays  is  used,  so  that  they  will  not 
become  monotonous.     The  "three-legged"' 

498 


relay  is  always  good,  as  well  as  the  relay 
requiring  "doubles"  to  run  back-to-back. 

Limerick  Contest:  Either  before  the 
night  of  the  party,  or  at  the  party,  distribute 
a  limerick  to  which  the  girls  are  to  add  a 
last  line — -the  best  one  being  given  a  prize. 
The  purpose  of  this  contest  is  to  get  the 
girls  to  suggest  ways  in  which  they  think 
Bee-Hive  membership  might  be  doubled. 
The  contest  entries  might  be  placed  in  a 
large  bee-hive  as  the  girls  enter,  or  during 
the  evening.  The  winner  could  be  an- 
nounced just  before  the  conclusion  of  the 
party.  A  copy  of  the  limerick  might  be  in 
evidence  on  the  wall.  The  following  lines 
are  suggested,  but  others  might  be  origi- 
nated in  wards  and  stakes: 

If  we're  boosters  of  Bee-Hive  worth  know- 
ing, 

We  must  help  this  great  movement  keep 
growing. 

We  could,  with  no  trouble 

Its  membership  double 

(By  telling  of  all  we're  enjoying.) 

Parade  of  Doubles:  Allow  the  "doubles" 
to  grand  march  around  the  room.  As  they 
pass  a  given  spot,  they  might  be  intro- 
duced to  the  group.  During  this  time  the 
judges  will  choose  the  prize  costumes.  Prizes 
should  not  be  expensive. 

Refreshments: 

As  the  grand  march  is  finished,  each  girl 
might  be  given  a  slip  of  paper  on  which  is 
written  half  of  a  nursery  rhyme.  She  must 
find  her  new  "double"  by  locating  the  girl 
with  the  other  half  of  the  rhyme.  They 
must  present  the  complete  rhyme  at  the  re- 
freshment table  before  they  can  be  served. 

If  refreshments  which  require  a  plate  are 
served,  one  plate  could  be  served  to  each 
set  of  "doubles."  The  following  are  re- 
freshment suggestions:  Double  decker 
sandwiches,  two-layer  ice-cream,  double- 
decker  cones,  punch  and  wafers,  or  two- 
layer  cake. 

■  ♦  ■ 

"StwsialDqkaL 

( Concluded  from  page  495 ) 

mission  headquarters  from  Elders  and 
lady  missionaries  indicates  enthusiasm 
for  genealogical  work  as  a  proselyting 
instrument.  Missionaries  who  can  dis- 
play their  own  records  have  no  trouble 
interesting  their  investigators.  "I  seem 
to  have  one  subject  on  my  mind  a  great 
deal,  and  that  is  genealogy,"  seems  to 
be  the  prevailing  spirit.  Some  Elders 
write  of  being  bitten  with  the  "gen- 
ealogical bug" — a  way  of  saying  they 
do  not  merely  talk  about  work  for  the 
dead,  but  actually  assist  Saints  and 
friends  to  seek  out  and  prepare  their 
records. 

Charts  compiled  in  the  mission  over 
a  period  of  a  year  and  a  half  reveal 
some  significant  parallels:  an  increase 
in  the  number  of  genealogical  meetings 
held  has  been  accompanied  by  a  com- 
parable increase  in  the  number  of  fam- 
ily records  being  kept.  In  July,  1938, 
there  were  39  family  records  kept  and 
80  meetings  held  as  compared  with  232 
family  records  and  315  genealogical 
meetings  by  December  of  1939.  The 
number  of  genealogical  workers  rose 


from  19  to  77  from  July,  1938,  to  De- 
cember, 1939,  while  the  number  of  fam- 
ilies doing  research  work  grew,  during 
the  same  period,  from  39  to  170. 

The  Eastern  States  Mission  is  setting 
a  goal  far  beyond  even  these  accom- 
plishments, however.  The  principal 
objective  to  be  reached  by  fall  is  to 
place  one  thousand  family  group  sheets 
and  one  thousand  pedigree  charts  in 
the  Church  Record  Archives,  and  to 
send  ten  thousand  names  to  the  temples 
for  ordinance  work. 

Ultimately,  from  every  family  in  the 
mission  there  will  be  secured  similar 
information.  The  assignment  is  a  large 
one,  but  the  mission  is  organizing  to 
fulfill  it,  with  public  lectures,  personal 
visits  to  each  home,  and  coordination 
between  branch  and  mission  represen- 
tatives figuring  large  in  the  campaign. 
To  acquaint  people  using  the  resources 
of  the  Utah  Genealogical  Society  with 
people  pursuing  identical  lines  in  the 
mission  will  be  of  paramount  impor- 
tance. More  than  any  other  single  pro- 
cedure, it  is  felt,  to  further  genealooical 
work  in  the  mission,  will  be  the  filing 
of  all  the  records  of  the  mission  Saints 
in  the  Utah  library. 

HPhe  events  in  thev  Eastern  States 
Mission  are  keeping  pace  with  the 
greater  interest  in  genealogy  generally 
evident.  Twenty-five  years  ago,  gene- 
alogy was  to  the  outsider  a  fad,  a 
hobby  to  be  indulged  if  one  had  time 
and  ample  means.  There  was  only  a 
handful  of  professional  genealogists. 
Today,  748  persons  are  recorded  as 
professionals.  Twenty-five  years  ago, 
only  about  a  dozen  of  the  larger  public 
libraries  throughout  the  country  made 
an  effort  to  serve  the  people  seeking 
genealogy,  simply  because  there  were 
no  general  reference  sources  on  the 
subject.  Today,  717  public  and  insti- 
tutional libraries  are  serving  their 
patrons  by  providing  at  least  the  prin- 
cipal reference  sources  in  genealogy. 
Many  of  them  maintain  extensive  gen- 
ealogical departments.  From  1671, 
when  the  Stebbins  family  genealogy 
was  issued,  until  1915,  a  period  of  144 
years,  there  were  only  about  3,000 
printed  genealogies.  Since  1915,  the 
bibliography  has  increased  to  over 
14,000  titles.  There  are  listed  today 
525  family  organizations,  2,344  profes- 
sional and  avocational  genealogists, 
2,992  persons  registered  as  local  record 
researchers  who  are  found  in  1,567 
cities,  in  1,165  counties  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  126  genealogists  in 
1 04  cities  in  32  foreign  countries.  Serv- 
ing the  field,  exclusive  of  the  many 
newspapers  carrying  genealogical  sec- 
tions and  exclusive  or  the  broadsides, 
etc.,  there  are  in  the _form  of  periodicals 
alone  some  sixty  genealogical  publi- 
cations. (Statistics  quoted  from  The 
Handbook  of  American  Genealogy, 
1937,  edited  by  F.  A.  Virkus.) 

The  Eastern  States  Mission  is  doing 
much  toward  making  genealogical  en- 
deavor fill  its  high  calling  among 
Latter-day  Saints. 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


The  Church  Moves  On 

( Concluded  from  page  484 ) 

Thus  reads  a  printed  circular  on  the 
Cache  Valley  Homecoming  which  gives 
further  assurance  that  it  will  be  "the 
most  wonderful  and  pleasurable  event 
ever  held  in  this  valley,"  for  former  resi- 
dents of  Cache  Valley,  many  of  them 
pioneers  to  the  region,  who  are  being 
publicly  invited  to  a  grand  homecoming 
celebration.  Housing  committees,  it  is 
said,  will  provide  accommodations  for 
those  not  cared  for  by  relatives  or 
friends,  and  copies  of  the  local  papers 
containing  program  details  have  been 
sent  known  former  residents.  The 
central  committee  for  the  celebration 
urges  wide  announcement  of  the  event 
to  reach  one-time  Cache  Valley  people 
whose  names  and  addresses  are  not 
known. 

UTAH  CLUB  OF  SOUTHERN 
CALIFORNIA  HOLDS  EXHIBIT 
OF  UTAH  ARTISTS 

Qn  June  24,  1940,  the  Utah  Club  of 
^-^  Southern  California  held  an  ex- 
hibit at  the  Ebell  Wilshire  Club  in 
which  a  great  many  Utah  artists  dis- 
played their  pictures  and  statuary. 
Among  those  participating  were  Will 
Clawson,  H.  Wells  Culmer,  Cyrus  Dal- 
lin,  Joseph  A.  F.  Everett,  Avard  Fair- 
banks, J.  B.  Fairbanks,  J.  Leo  Fairbanks, 
John  Hafen,  J.  T.  Harwood,  John  Held, 
Caroline  Parry  and  Lee  Greene  Rich- 
ards, in  addition  to  many  others. 

Margaret  Romaine  (Margaret  Tout 
Browning)  came  from  New  York  City 
to  be  soloist  at  the  dinner  held  by  the 
Club.  Cora  Thorne  Bird  also  appeared 
on  the  program. 

The  Utah  Club  was  founded  several 
years  ago  by  Mrs.  Edward  L.  Jenkins 
and  Mrs.  Glen  H.  McEwan. 

June  23,  1940. 

The  Richmond  Ward  chapel,  Oak- 
land Stake,  was  dedicated  by  Elder  Al- 
bert E.  Bowen  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve. 

Pioneer  Joseph  Stanford  Smith,  of 
Price,  Utah,  one  of  the  San  Juan  county 
colonists  who  made  the  historic  journey 
through  Hole-in-the-Rock  in  1880,  and 
original  settler  of  Mancos,  Colorado, 
and  of  points  in  New  Mexico  and  Ida- 
ho, celebrated  his  ninetieth  birthday. 

June  25,  1940. 

Don  Carlos  Clayton,  82,  Panguitch, 
Utah,  and  Arizona  pioneer,  stone-cutter 
for  the  Salt  Lake  Temple,  and  son  of 
William  Clayton,  author  of  "Come, 
Come  Ye  Saints,"  died. 

July  2,  1940. 

Mrs.  Fanny  Marilla  Tracy,  of  Salt 
Lake  City,  born  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois, 
on  July  2,  1844,  observed  her  ninety- 
sixth  birthday  anniversary.  An  active 
Relief  Society  worker,  she  has  119 
grandchildren,  97  great-grandchildren, 
and  45  great-great-grandchildren  living. 


SUMMER  CHURCH  MUSIC 
INSTITUTE  UNDER  WAY 

Cummer  institutes  sponsored  by  the 
^  General  Church  Music  Committee 
for  Church  choristers  and  organists  are 
currently  being  conducted  in  fourteen 
stakes  throughout  Utah,  Wyoming,  and 
Idaho.  Second  year  work  is  being  of- 
fered along  with  instruction  to  begin- 
ners. Continuance  of  the  training, 
which  has  already  been  given  to  nearly 
seven  thousand  Church  musicians,  is 
made  necessary  by  the  annual  turn-over 
among  ward  and  stake  choristers  and 
organists. 

Teaching  in  the  summer  institutes  are 
Alfred  M.  Durham,  Wade  N.  Stephens, 
and  George  H.  Durham.  The  work  is 
being  carried  on  in  the  following  stakes : 
Bear  Lake,  Montpelier,  Bannock,  Ida- 
ho, Star  Valley,  Summit,  Wasatch, 
Juab,  Millard,  Garfield,  Panguitch, 
Sevier,  South  Sevier,  and  Gunnison. 

SOCIETY  MARKS 
HISTORIC  TREES 

HHwo  of  Salt  Lake  Valley's  oldest 
•*■  trees,  locusts  planted  in  1848  at 
East  Mill  Creek  by  Samuel  Neff,  were 
dedicated  July  4  as  pioneer  landmarks 
by  the  Daughters  of  Utah  Pioneers. 
Copper  plaques  now  properly  identify 
the  trees,  which  grew  from  seeds 
brought  across  the  plains  by  one  of  the 
first  bands  of  Utah  pioneers.  The  trees 
furthermore  mark  the  site  of  one  of 
the  first  Salt  Lake  Valley  flour  mills. 

IDAHO  FALLS  SEES 
SACRED  PAGEANT 

Tn  recognition  of  the  under-way  con- 
•*■  struction  of  the  Idaho  Falls  Temple, 
a  sacred  pageant  by  J.  Karl  Wood, 
"The  Temple  of  EE-DA-HOW,"  was 
presented  before  thousands  of  specta- 
tors the  week  of  June  20  to  28  in  the 
Idaho  Falls  Civic  Auditorium.  Staged 
by  the  Idaho  Pageant  Society  with  the 
cooperation  of  Church  and  civic 
groups,  the  pageant  depicted  the  im- 
portance of  temple  work.  Scenes  in- 
cluded reference  to  early  pioneer  his- 
tory of  Idaho  and  the  Snake  River 
Valley. 

FRANK  W.  ASPER  PLAYS 
AT  BACH  FESTIVAL 

C  elected  as  one  of  a  distinguished 
*^  company  of  vocal  and  instrumental 
soloists  to  perform  at  Carmel's  sixth 
annual  Bach  Festival,  July  15  to  21, 
was  Frank  W.  Asper,  Tabernacle  or- 
ganist. Dr.  Asper  presented  the  only 
two  organ  recitals  heard  during  the 
week.  Conductor  for  the  outstanding 
musical  event  was  Gastone  Usigli. 

CONTRACT  LET  FOR 
IDAHO  FALLS  TEMPLE 

/Construction    of   the    Idaho    Falls 

^  Temple  will  begin  immediately  with 

the  contract  having  been  awarded  Bird- 

(Concluded  on  page  500) 


Lucile  Wilchen 


Virginia  Ewing 


"L.D.S. 

Training 
Pays!" 


Not  many  months 
ago  the  young  peo- 
ple pictured  here 
were  untrained  for 
any  particular  kind 
of  work. 

Now  they  are  em- 
ployed in  business 
offices,  where  they 
perform  a  variety  of 
highly      specialized 


services. 


Ken  Earl 


-^- 


All  the  facilities 
for  the  expert  train- 
ing they  had  await 
you  here — and  in 
all  probability  the 
same  opportunities 
Kathryn  Peterson  for  employment  will 
be  available  during 
the  coming  months. 

$ 


lola  Rackelo 


Reed  Pope 


Will  you  be  ready 
when  your  day 
comes? 

Register  for  the 
Fall  Term  August 
26   or  September   3. 


Information  glad- 
ly furnished  on  re- 
quest. 


L  D.  S.  Business 
College 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


499 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


THE  CHURCH  MOVES  ON 


{Concluded  from  page  499) 


well  Finlayson,  Pocatello,  Idaho,  con- 
tractor and  bishop  of  the  Pocatello  First 
Ward. 

The  contract  was  awarded  on  a  low 
bid  of  $422,852  for  the  general  contract 
— covering  the  building  proper,  the  an- 
nex, walls  and  retaining  walls,  reflect- 
ing pool,  and  the  gate  keeper's  and 
bureau  of  information  buildings.  Esti- 
mated total  cost  of  building  the  temple, 
including  all  sub-contracts,  landscaping 
of  the  grounds  and  complete  furnishing 
of  the  completed  building,  is  $548,258. 


PORTNEUF  STAKE  GETS 
NEW  PRESIDENCY 

TLJead  of  the  Portneuf  Stake  at  Dow- 
A  ney,  Idaho,  since  its  organization 
twenty-five  years  ago,  President 
George  T.  Hyde  was  released  July  14 
with  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  for  his 
quarter  century  of  service,  and  Leo 
Hansen  named  to  lead  the  stake  in  his 
place.  Counselors  Royal  Hale  and 
Orval  Hendricks  were  succeeded  by 
Elmer  Hartwigson  and  LeRoy  Olsen. 

Officiating  at  the  reorganization  at 
Downey  were  Elders  John  A.  Widtsoe 


( Continued  from  page  475 ) 

Findley,   who   paled   every   time   a 
yearling  bolted,  was  useless. 

"If  I  meet  Kent!"  The  thought 
sustained  and  exhilarated  her.  She 
began  thinking  up  clever  things  to 
say  to  him,  things  that  would  "slay" 
him.  She  had  seen  it  done  any  num- 
ber of  times,  by  less  clever  girls 
than  herself. 

"Well,  take  my  pulse,  if  it  isn't 
Uncle  Sam,"  or  "The  bright  boy, 
himself."  Maybe  "Kent,  darling!" 
in  that  casual  way  that  meant  any- 
thing but  "darling."  Something  that 
would  turn  the  trick,  high-pressure 
a  "date"  out  of  him. 

Lyn  sniffed  the  beloved  and  tan- 
talizing odor  of  sage  in  the  canyon 
mouth.  Her  love  for  it  had  become 
well  known  among  her  friends.  One 
of  them,  whose  name  was  still  a  mys- 
tery, had  sent  her  occasional  en- 
velopes filled  with  pungent  sage 
twigs,  uncannily  striking,  with  its 
arrival,  the  worst  stages  of  her  home- 
sickness. 

Finally,  by  noon,  they  were  in  the 
canyon,  where  the  grub  wagon  was 
waiting  for  them. 

"Lyn,  you'd  better  go<  back  now," 
said  Staff  casually,  after  the  noon 
meal,  the  brief  rest. 

"Go  back?  But  we're  only  half 
way."  I  haven't  seen  Kent,  she 
thought,  sick  with  disappointment. 

"You'll  have  to  go  back,  anyway. 
There  isn't  enough  bedding  at  the 
ranch.  Us  men'll  have  to  sleep  to- 
gether." 

"Well — "  said  Lyn  helplessly. 
"Look,  Staff.  Let  me  go  all  the  way 
and  come  back  tonight,"  she  said, 
brightening.  "I  can  stand  it.  Truly 
I  can.    I'm  not  tired." 

"Maybe  not,  but  the  horse  is.  He 
can't  stand  it." 

Staff  was  right.  There  was  noth- 
ing to  do  but  turn  back.  She  mount- 
ed and  headed  toward  home,  feeling 

500 


A  SPRIG  OF  SAGE 

like  a  pricked  balloon,  and  hardly 
able  to  keep  the  tears  back.  Staff  was 
counting  the  cattle.  He  called  out 
belatedly,  "Thank  you,  Lyn.  Ap- 
preciated your  help.  Say,  Lyn, 
we're  out  thirty  head.  If  you  see 
them  along  the  way  take  them  back 
with  you." 

"We  couldn't  be!" 

"That's  the  count.  I'll  have  to 
make  another  trip." 

Incredible!  Staff  was  just  making 
her  feel  of  use  to  salve  her  feelings. 
Maybe  it  was  just  as  well  for  her  to 
go  back.  Now  that  she  thought  of 
it,  she  was  tired.  Her  muscles  were 
stiff  and  sore  after  the  noon  rest,  her 
blouse  wilted.    Kent  could  wait. 

A  car  flashed  around  the  turn,  to- 
ward her,  and  came  to  a  sudden  stop. 
Isabel  Hamilton,  alone  and  at  the 
wheel,  rubbed  her  hand  across  her 
eyes  in  mock  disbelief. 

"As  I  live,  if  it  isn't  Chip  of  the 
Flying  U.  No  fooling,  Lyn,  you 
look  like  a  cross  between  a  Campfire 
Girl  and  Custer's  last  stand." 

"Oh,  the  idle  generation!  What 
have  you  done  with  the  footman?" 
Lyn's  eyes  took  in  Isabel's  rakish  hat, 
her  slim  tweed  suit,  and  the  blouse 
that  was  crisp  and  fresh  as  her  own 
had  been  this  morning.  "What- 
ever brings  you  out  in  the  wilds?  I 
thought  you  loathed  the  smell  of 
sage." 

"So  I  do,  my  love,  but  this  is  seri- 
ous business.  I'm  on  a  still  hunt  for 
Kent  Iverson.  Haven't  seen  him  in 
your  travels,  have  you?  I'm  going 
to  bring  that  boy  to  his  knees  or 
perish  in  the  attempt." 

She  ought  to  do  it,  too,  looking 
like  that,  thought  Lyn.  She  didn't 
reply. 

"Or  am  I  poaching  on  your  pre- 
serve?" Isabel  went  on,  with  a  shrewd 
look  at  Lyn.  "Seems  I  remember 
your  having  a  hankering  for  him  in 
the  dear  dead  days." 


and  Albert  E.  Bowen  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve. 

TEMPLE  SQUARE  WALLS  TO 
GET  COAT  OF  PAINT 

"D  epainting  and  repair  of  the  twelve- 
■^  foot-high  wall  around  Temple 
Square  is  going  on  as  part  of  the  Church 
beautification  program.  The  wall  is 
being  painted  gray  with  a  special  min- 
eral paint.  Trimmings  are  in  rose  color. 
Both  sides  of  the  wall  are  being  re- 
painted, and  repair  work  done  wherever 
necessary. 


"Oh,  heavens!  Don't  tell  me  I'm 
wearing  my  heart  in  my  eyes,"  said 
Lyn  lightly,  but  she  was  taken  aback. 

"So!  That's  why  all  the  grand- 
standing," said  Isabel  nastily.  "Well, 
darling,  that  was  before  I  singled 
him  out  for  my  special  attentions. 
You'd  better  count  your  losses.  Have 
a  cigarette?" 

She  did  smoke,  after  all.  Maybe 
those  other  things  were  true.  She 
looked  at  Isabel  coolly. 

"No,  thanks,"  she  said.  "This 
feeble  thing  that  does  for  my  brain 
is  still  one  jump  ahead  of  the  to- 
bacco ads." 

"Ouch!"  said  Isabel.  "My  mis- 
take. Thought  you'd  been  out  of  this 
narrow-minded  town." 

"It  isn't  narrow-minded.  The 
people  are  wholesome  and  good  and 
wise.  I  love  every  one  of  them,  and 
you  would,  too,  if  you'd  let  your- 
self." 

"Not  me.  I've  been  home  only 
two  weeks  and  I'm  fed  up  with  these 
old  fossils.  There's  nobody  inter- 
esting left  except  Kent,  and  I'm  go- 
ing to  take  him  apart  and  see  what 
makes  him  tick.  It's  all  that  keeps 
me  here."  She  stepped  on  the  starter 
and  was  gone. 

INobody  interesting  left! 
Except  Kent!  She  would  get  him, 
too.  And  then  what  would  become 
of  Kent's  love  of  trees,  of  cattle,  of 
outside?  Lyn  felt  dejected  to  the 
point  of  illness,  but  the  encounter 
had  done  something  to  her.  Her 
values  whirled  and  settled  as  direc- 
tions do  to  one  who  has  been  turned 
about.  Mother  was  right.  How 
cheap  Isabel  was! 

She  became  aware  of  a  woman 
calling  frantically,  running  clumsily 
across  the  plowed  ground  of  a  can- 
yon farm.  It  seemed  that  Lyn's 
cattle  had  lured  her  bull  and  calf  up 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,    AUGUST,    1940 


the  little  canyon  that  was  tributary  to 
this.  She  didn't  know  what  to  do. 
Her  man  was  gone.  Would  Lyn 
get  them  for  her?     Lyn  would. 

They  were  there,  all  right.  All 
thirty,  plus  the  woman's  two.  She 
rounded  them  up,  beating  them  out 
of  brush  that  topped  her  head,  and 
wished  fervently  for  the  leather 
clothing  Staff  had  mentioned.  Staff 
had  said  to  take  them  home.  It 
would  be  hard  driving  them  after 
they  had  tasted  the  sweet,  new  grass, 
and  it  was  ten  miles  home.  Ten 
miles  to  the  ranch,  too.  Staff  could 
find  some  way  of  making  a  bed  for 
her.  Maybe  she  could  catch  the 
main  herd  before  long.  This  was 
all  young  stuff,  fed,  rested.  They 
could  travel  faster. 

She  began  urging  them  forward 
and  they  hurried  for  a  time,  then 
grew  tired  and  became  stubborn, 
stopping  behind  every  bush  and 
tree,  so  that  she  had  literally  to  beat 
them.  Pepper  sensed  her  agitation 
and  threshed  back  and  forth  tireless- 
ly, lunging  at  each  backward  calf, 
even  nipping  them  with  his  teeth. 
The  more  Lyn  tried  to  hurry,  the 
more  the  cattle  lagged.  They  spread, 
trying  to  graze,  or  waded  in  the 
creek  pretending  thirst,  broke  and 
ran,  dodging  and  weaving.  It  was 
by  main  force  and  continuous,  un- 
tiring effort  only  that  she  was  able 
to  make  any  headway.  She  must 
plunge  into  jungle-like  paths  in  the 
matted  growth  of  the  creek-side,  dip- 
ping and  swaying  to  miss  the 
branches  while  running  head-on. 
Twigs  caught  and  tore  her  sleeves, 
pulling  at  her  hair,  scratching  her 
face.  She  bruised  her  knees  against 
the  sharp  edges  of  boulders.  Thorns 
pierced  the  toes  of  her  boots. 

The  sun  beat  down  hotter  than  it 
had  at  noon.  Every  inch  of  her  skin 
was  wet.  Dust  caked  her  lips  and 
lashes.  She  was  beyond  being  tired, 
beyond  fatigue.  She  stuck  to  the 
saddle,  and  she  felt  numb,  paralyzed. 
Her  bones  were  as  if  made  of  liquid 
fire,  and  her  hands  were  sore  and 
bleeding  where  little  chunks  had 
been  nicked  by  the  saddle  horn. 
She  couldn't  change  her  position  be- 
cause the  riding  was  so  rough,  but 
she  was  consumed  with  one  idea:  to 
get  the  cattle  to  the  ranch;  to  catch 
the  herd. 

She  hit  on  a  plan.  She  sent  word 
ahead  by  the  next  car  that  came 
along,  for  Staff  to  wait  for  her.  It 
was  nearing  four  o'clock  by  the  sun 
when  a  down-coming  car  stopped. 
Four  men  gaped  at  her  in  astonish- 


A  SPRIG  OF  SAGE 

ment.  Staff  had  sent  her  a  message. 
She  was  to  stop  the  cattle  at  the  Sil- 
verton  ranch.  He  had  made  ar- 
rangements with  someone  there. 

/another  awful  hour  and 
the  ranch  came  in  sight.  Eventu- 
ally the  last  pair  of  heels  clicked  over 
the  corral  bars  and  Lyn  slid  off 
Pepper  into  the  hands  of  two  old 
cow-men,  the  ranch  owners.  Her 
feet  could  not  feel  the  ground.  Her 
knees  trembled  uncontrollably. 

"Staff  said  he'd  get  the  cattle  and 
Pepper  tomorrow.  Now  you  go  on 
and  we'll  take  care  of  your  horse. 
He  asked  the  ranger  to  take  you 
home." 

Kent!  The  one  person  in  all  the 
world  she  did  not  want  just  now  to 
see.  In  a  daze  she  allowed  herself 
to  be  led  to  his  car.  Too  stunned 
for  speech,  she  had  a  flash  of  Kent's 
eyes  on  her  as  she  climbed  in.  Fate 
might  have  been  kind  enough  to  let 
him  see  her  first  charming  and  beau- 
tifully dressed.  No  doubt  he  had 
seen  Isabel. 

"Did  you  see  Isabel  Hamilton?" 
she  heard  herself  say. 

"Yes,"  he  answered,  dodging  a 
boulder. 

Certainly  he  had  seen  Isabel,  with 
her  smart  grooming,  her  scarlet  nails. 

I've  never  looked  worse  in  my 
life,  she  thought.  Life  wasn't  fair 
to  take  her  fine  resolve  so  literally. 
Her  eyes  were  glazed  with  heat  and 
felt  like  glass  marbles.     Her  face 


must  be  brick  red  and  she  was  sticky 
with  dirt  and  perspiration.  There 
was  no  telling  how  ridiculous  Isabel 
had  made  her  seem. 

Crying  would  be  the  finishing 
touch.  She  shook  her  head  and 
held  her  face  impassive,  but  the  tears 
rolled  out  of  her  wide-open  eyes  and 
splashed  on  her  twill  breeches.  She 
thought  of  Isabel's  cool  insolence, 
her  self-possession. 

"Yes,  Isabel  dropped  the  hint  that 
told  me  where  I  might  find — why, 
Lyn!" 

He  stopped  the  car  and  looked  at 
her  in  a  comforting,  big-brother 
fashion,  patting  her  eyes  with  his 
handkerchief. 

Any  man  would  do  the  same,  she 
thought,  and  struggled  up,  lifting 
her  head,  forcing  composure  to  her 
features,  a  smile  to  her  lips. 

"It's  just — "  she  started,  and 
clenched  her  teeth  against  a  sob. 

"I  know- — fatigue  —  strain.  I 
know  exactly  how  you  feel,  and  any 
other  woman  I  know  would  have  had 
hysteria  in  a  big  way."  He  tilted  her 
face  with  his  finger.  There  was 
admiration  in  his  eyes.  "The  same 
old  Lyn.  The  same  old  pride.  I'm 
so  grateful  you  haven't  changed.  I 
was  afraid  you  might — that's  why 
the  sagebrush  bouquets." 

iir  >> 

1 — you — 

"Yes,  I — and  you,  Lyn.  We  be- 
long together.    Can't  you  see  it?" 

Lyn  opened  her  mouth  to  speak, 
then  wisely  closed  it. 


^^  >*  lie  about  the 

„  vm  E-D1AL  ca       mv  Conoco 

YOUR  M11*     get  fto-o  «g.    traight 

**  m^J^1  ba"«  s££ '- this 

BW^lfffigores  ^OUw  wu  free  as  a». 
true  u^f^egot  here  for  y°°  N  G 

*  °U  »Con  youf  free  0-^**  ahout 


ASOt»»E 


501 


THE    IMPROVEMENT    ERA,     AUGUST,    1940 


THE  PRIDE  OF  THE  PIONEERS 


(Concluded  from  page  458) 
attractive,  and  there  is  an  abundance 
of  flowers,  trees,  vines,  and  shrubs. 

Instilled  with  the  desire  to  own 
and  to  beautify  a  well-kept  place, 
coupled  with  the  appreciation  for 
beautiful  homes,  many  of  our  early 
pioneers  achieved  success  under  ad- 
verse conditions.  It  was  their  love 
for  beauty,  shown  by  making  at- 
tractive grounds,  planting  flower 
gardens,  trees,  and  shrubs,  that 
changed  the  wilderness  into  a  gar- 
den. 

Under  the  inspired  leadership  of 


our  pioneer  Church  authorities,  who 
had  suggested  that  homes  be  made 
beautiful  no  matter  how  humble  they 
might  be,  our  pioneers  succeeded  in 
making  their  homes  attractive  and 
good  to  look  upon. 


"pROM  a  sermon  delivered  by  Daniel 
L  H.  Wells,  April  14,  1861,  we 
quote,  in  part,  as  follows: 

It  is  elevating  to  the  mind  to  make  and 
have  around  us  and  our  habitations  shade 
trees,  flowers,  and  shrubs;  and  it  sets  a 
good  example  before  our  young,  and  it 
is  calculated  to  instill  into  their  bosoms  vir- 


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tue,  holy  and  righteous  principles.  It  will 
circulate  the  same  in  our  wards  and  in  our 
habitations. 

Many  people  will  live  year  after  year; 
they  will  plow  and  sow,  reap  and  mow, 
without  a  tree,  without  a  fence  about  their 
premises;  they  will  live  in  mud  hovels; 
whereas,  with  a  little  labor,  an  hour  or 
two  in  a  day  in  setting  out  a  few  trees, 
be  the  labor  ever  so  small,  it  beautifies  the 
place  on  which  the  labor  is  bestowed. 

When  you  look  at  a  place,  a  house,  a 
homestead,  it  seems  to  indicate  the  character 
of  the  person  that  dwells  there.  Although 
our  improvements  may  seem  to  be  very 
small,  yet  every  little  does  so  much  to- 
wards making  up  the  sum  of  human  happi- 
ness. It  is  our  duty  to  improve  in  all  those 
things  that  will  make  home  pleasant  and 
desirable. 

Right  now  there  is  a  movement 
started  to  revive  this  great  desire 
for  more  beautiful  homes  and  com- 
munity grounds.  There  is  being 
awakened  today  an  appreciation  of 
,the  value  of  better  surroundings. 
If  this  is  done,  both  individuals  and 
the  communities  will  be  benefited 
thereby. 

Abraham  Lincoln  is  credited  with 
saying  :  "I  like  to  see  a  man  proud 
of  the  place  wherein  he  lives,  so  that 
his  place  will  be  proud  of  him." 

A  simple  unpretentious  develop- 
ment to  harmonize  the  home  grounds 
with  their  surroundings  will  bring 
joy  to  the  owner.  A  beautiful  home 
environment  is  one  of  the  greatest 
inspirations  we  can  have  for  the  de- 
velopment of  the  finer  and  better 
emotions  of  life. 

The  pioneers,  with  their  pride, 
progress,  and  enthusiasm  did  a  won- 
derful work.  We,  with  so  many 
more  advantages,  should  build  beau- 
tiful communities.  This  can  only 
be  done  by  each  home  and  all  com- 
munity grounds  being  made  beau- 
tiful. 


Fifteen  Miles  from  the 
Mexican  Desert 
to  Greenland 

(Continued  from  page  469) 

which  presents  to  view  one  of  na- 
ture's most  interesting  and  delight- 
ful regions:  an  Arctic- Alpine  mead- 
ow. Climatic  conditions  here  re- 
semble those  of  far  northern  Alas- 
ka, Greenland,  Labrador,  and  the 
islands  of  the  Arctic  seas,  but  the 
elevation  is  close  to  nine  thousand 
feet  above  sea  level — hence  the 
combined  term  Arctic-Alpine.  The 
air  is  delightfully  cool;  small  spring- 


502 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


FIFTEEN  MILES  FROM  THE  MEXICAN  DESERT  TO  GREENLAND 


fed  streams  of  sparkling  water  are 
all  about,  their  quiet,  almost  ice-cold 
pools  an  invitation  to  the  thirsty.  It 
is  1 1 :00  a.  m.  of  a  typical  mid-sum- 
mer day,  yet  in  the  full  sun  the  tem- 
perature is  only  sixty-six  degrees.  In 
shady  places  shining  drops  of  dew 
almost  bear  down  the  grass  and 
flowers.  And — most  pleasant  of  sur- 
prises— hidden  in  the  low  growth 
of  dewy  vegetation,  like  maraschino 
cherries  in  an  iced  dessert,  are  ripe 
strawberries  in  abundance!  No  cul- 
tivated garden-grown  strawberries 
could  have  half  the  delicious  flavor 
or  be  half  so  refreshing  as  these 
nature-grown  delicacies  in  this 
Eden. 

Nothing  could  be  more  inviting 
than  this  meadow  of  strawberries 
growing  in  the  protective  shade 
of  lupine  with  their  tall  pastel- 
shaded  spikes  of  bloom,  or  ex- 
quisite pink  or  white  geraniums,  or 
lavender-colored  mountain  daisies 
as  large  as  a  half-dollar.  Every- 
where are  flowers  in  such  numbers 
and  variety  as  may  be  found  only 
in  an  Arctic-Alpine  meadow. 
Around  the  edges,  next  to  the  ma- 
jestically tall  trees  of  the  Hudson 
forest,  is  a  "border  planting"  of  wild 
honey-suckle  in  three  varieties,  el- 
derberries, mountain  ash,  wild  roses, 
native  spirea,  and  what  not.  In- 
deed, "Earth  hath  not  anything  to 
show  more  fair."  Surely  a  master 
landscape  artist  has  been  at  work 
here. 

Another  two  miles  up  the  main 
canyon  road  is  Brighton.  From  here 
the  trail  up  one  of  the  nearby  moun- 
tain slopes  leads  to  new  wonders — 
open  only  to  the  vigorous  moun- 
tain climber.  The  path  leads 
through  diminishing  growths  of 
trees  and  shrubbery,  but  it  is  still 
bordered  with  flowers  of  every 
hue;  conspicuously  beautiful  among 
them  are  two  species  of  columbine, 
white  and  yellow,  of  enormous  size 
— as  fine  as  the  pictures  in  seed  cat- 
talogs! 

Soon  the  country  gets  more  rocky, 
the  trail  steeper,  and  the  vegetation 
scantier  until,  after  a  really  strenu- 
ous climb  which  causes  the  heart  to 
beat  faster  and  the  nostrils  to  dilate 
with  inhaling  great  breaths  of  the 
rarefied  atmosphere,  there  suddenly 
appears  the  shining  surface  of  one 
of  the  many  mountain  lakes  which 
constitute  the  headwaters  of  the 
numerous  stream  tributaries  of  the 
region.  The  lake  is  situated  virtual- 
ly at  the   timber  line;   below   is   a 


panorama  of  Hudson  forest  and 
Arctic-Alpine  meadows;  above  are 
bleak,  barren  Arctic  summits,  storm- 
worn  and  forbidding,  yet  magnifi- 
cent with  their  patches  of  snow  and 
spire-like  peaks;  nearby  are  a  few 
rugged,  wind-whipped  trees  grow- 
ing in  cracks  of  apparently  solid 
rock.  Hardy  indeed  must  be  these 
sturdy  patriarchs  from  their  cen- 
turies of  battle  against  the  elements 
in  the  eternal  struggle  for  existence 
to  which  all  forms  of  life  are  sub- 
ject; majestic  do  they  appear  as  they 


stand  on  guard  apparently  to  re- 
mind the  visitor  that  above  and  be- 
yond them  life  is  difficult  and  un- 
certain, for  there  rises  a  region  re- 
sembling the  vast  wastes  of  the  far 
north  and  known  biologically  as  the 
Arctic  life  zone. 

Here  may  well  end  the  journey 
which  began  in  the  Sonoran  Desert 
of  Old  Mexico,  passed  through  five 
distinct  life  zones,  until  it  reached 
the  Arctic  wastes  of  Labrador  or 
Greenland — all  in  a  delightful  fif- 
teen-mile drive! 


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{Concluded  from  page  467) 
The  Old  Testament  contains  very 
little  relative  to  a  final  judgment,  but 
the  later  Jewish  writings — dating 
near  the  advent  of  Jesus — picture 
such  an  occasion  for  each  individual. 
A  similar  doctrine  is  taught  in  abun- 
dance in  the  New  Testament,  and  it 
became  one  of  the  paramount  teach- 
ings of  Christianity.  Six  hundred 
years  following  the  death  of  the  Man 
of  Galilee,  Mohammed  taught  Islam 
the  doctrine  of  "the  weighing  in  a 
balance  of  each  man's  evil  and  good 
deeds."  Dr.  Moore  thinks  that  Mo- 
hammed obtained  that  doctrine  from 
Christianity.28 

Examples  could  be  multiplied  al- 
most indefinitely  of  various  impor- 
tant religions  from  one  end  of  the 

2SMoore,  op.  cit..  64,  387,  475. 


world  to  the  other  which  taught  the 
doctrine  of  a  final  judgment.28  The 
universality  of  the  concept  bears  wit- 
ness to  its  truthfulness.  God  re- 
vealed the  doctrine  to  his  holy  proph- 
ets from  the  time  of  Adam  to  that 
of  Joseph  Smith.  He  gave  to  all 
peoples  and  nations  the  amount  of 
religious  truth  that  they  were  capa- 
ble and  willing  to  receive.30  Thus 
mankind  knows  that  he  is  to  be  held 
accountable  at  the  great  Judgment 
Day  for  the  life  he  lived  and  the 
thoughts  that  were  his.  This  knowl- 
edge came  from  the  "Common 
Source  of  Religious  Truth" — Jesus 
the  Christ,  the  Lord  of  the  heavens 
and  the  earth. 


2BGaius  G.  Atkins,  Procession  of  the  Gods,   1-575. 

3°Book  of  Mormon,  Alma  26:37;  39:8;  1  Nephi  17:34- 
40;  2  Nephi  28:26-30;  29:1-14. 


MEXICAN  AND  MAYAN  CODICES 


( Continued  from  page  465 ) 

quality  of  destroyer— a  goddess  of 
floods  and  cloudbursts.  The  page  in 
its  entirety  depicts  calamity  and  de- 
struction of  the  world.  The  body 
of  the  water  serpent  stretches  across 
the  sky  and  from  its  mouth  issues 
water.  The  hieroglyphs  across  his 
body  represent  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
and  from  them  gush  torrents  of 
water;  also  the  Old  Water  Goddess 
herself  pours  out  the  bowl  of  ap- 
parently destructive  water.  That 
she  is  the  goddess  of  destruction  is 
also  implied  by  the  crossbones  on  her 
skirt.  Below  is  the  Black  God  of 
death  holding  spear  and  arrows  in 
his  hands  with  a  screeching  vulture 
as  a  headdress. 


A  Gallery  of  Gods 


T 


urning  to  page  twelve  of  the 
Dresden  Codex,  we  can  identify 
additional  gods.  The  god  to  the 
left  in  the  upper  third  is  God  E,  the 
Maize  God,  otherwise  known  as 
Yum  Kaax,  lord  of  the  harvest.  This 
god  occurs  as  the  god  of  husbandry 
and  he  is  recognized  by  his  peculiar 
headdress  and  the  corn  plant  he 
holds  in  his  hands.  Notice  also  his 
flattened  forehead — a  practice  of  the 
Mayas. 

The  god  to  his  right  is  God  K,  or 
the  God  with  the  Ornamented  Nose. 
We  distinguish  him  by  his  proboscis- 
shaped  nose  and  the  peculiarly 
shaped  vessel  he  carries  in  his  hands. 

The  left  figure  of  the  middle  group 
is  God  A,  the  god  of  death  or  Ah- 
puch.  His  characteristics  are  a 
bony  spine,  fleshless  skull,  fleshless 
lower  jaw,  truncated  nose,  grinning 


teeth,  a  stiff  feather  collar,  bells  or 
rattles  on  his  feet  and  hands,  and 
spots  on  his  body  indicating  putre- 
faction of  his  flesh.  He  always  ex- 
presses the  idea  of  death  and  is  asso- 
ciated with  "human  sacrifice,  suicide 
by  hanging,  death  in  childbirth,  and 
the  beheaded  captive." 

The  second  figure  is  God  H,  or  the 
Chichaan  god.  He  is  associated  in 
some  way  with  the  serpent.  The 
third  figure  is  a  variation  of  the  god 
of  death. 

On  the  left  of  the  lower  group  we 
have  God  D,  or  Itzamna.  He  is  fa- 
ther of  the  gods  and  creator  of  man- 
kind. The  aged  face  and  sunken, 
toothless  mouth  are  his  distinguish- 
ing marks.  The  second  god  is  prob- 
lematic but  the  third  and  last  is  God 
G,  or  the  Sun  God,  identified  by  the 
day  sign  he  holds  in  his  hands  as 
well  as  by  his  headdress. 

The  Aztecs 

("^ortez  arrived  in  Yucatan  to  be- 
"  hold  the  lingering  glory  of  the 
once  mighty  Maya,  for  dissension, 
jealousy,  tribal  and  family  feuds  had 
reduced  them  to  a  few  distrustful 
cities  in  northern  Yucatan.  Across 
the  Bay  of  Campeche,  in  the  Valley 
of  Mexico,  new  blood  from  the  north 
was  engendering  the  dynamic  Aztec 
Empire,  extending  its  might  of  arms 
well  beyond  the  borders  of  present- 
day  Mexico.  Powerful  warriors 
and  shrewd  rulers  were  founding  an 
empire  which  well  merits  to  be  styled 
"The  Rome  of  the  New  World." 

The  Aztec  codices  are  more  nu- 
merous, and  because  of  their  greater 


504 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


number  there  is  greater  variety  of 
content.  As  is  the  case  with  Mayan 
writings,  many  of  the  Aztec  manu- 
scripts deal  with  mythology  and  re- 
ligion, for  religion  played  an  equally 
important  role  among  the  Aztecs.  I 
quote  from  Mexico's  leading  arche- 
ologist,  Dr.  Alfonso  Caso,  on  the 
religion  of  the  Aztecs: 

At  the  time  of  the  Spanish  Conquest  the 
Aztecs  had  a  polytheistic  religion,  based 
on  the  worship  of  a  number  of  personal 
gods,  most  of  which  had  clearly  defined 
traits.  Nevertheless,  magic  and  the  idea  of 
certain  hidden  and  impersonal  forces  held 
an  important  place  in  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple. There  was,  too,  among  the  common 
people,  a  tendency  to  exaggerate  polythe- 
ism by  worshipping  many  manifestations 
of  the  same  god,  instead  of  the  single  deity. 
The  priest  knew,  though,  that  they  were 
only  manifestations  or  titles  of  the  same 
god,  just  as  at  present  the  images  of  some 
saints  are  different  and  even  antagonistic  in 
spite  of  the  explanation  given  by  Catholic 
priests  that  the  saintly  images  only  represent 
different  aspects  of  the  same  saint.3 

The  Vatican  B  Codex 

The  Vatican  B  Codex,  interpreted 
by  Eduard  Seler,  is  a  typical  pre- 
Hispanic  codex  which  records  some 
of  the  Aztec  gods,  their  character- 
istics and  powers.  Beginning  at  the 
upper  left  we  have  Xolotl,  the  god  of 
twins.  He  has  a  dog's  head,  a  cone- 
shaped  hat,  and  a  feather  ornament 
on  his  back.  He  is  the  god  of  ball- 
playing,  of  twins,  and  monstrosities. 
He  is  related  to  the  morning  star, 
for  the  morning  star  is  also  a  twin, 
appearing  as  morning  star  and  eve- 
ning star. 

Facing  Xolotl  is  the  moon  god, 
Tecciztecatl,  recognizable  by  the 
shell  ornament  on  the  headdress. 
These  two  gods  rule  the  East. 

The  third  figure  is  Tlazolteotl,  the 
Old  Earth  Goddess.  The  distin- 
guishing feature  is  her  nose  plate. 
Facing  her  is  Mictlantecuhtli,  the 
the  Lord  of  Death  ( mictlan— place 
of  death;  tecuhtli — Lord).  Here  he 
is  figured  as  a  corpse  with  a  fleshless 
jaw.  This  couple  rule  the  North, 
for  to  the  Mexicans  the  North  was 
the  place  of  death  or  darkness 
( Mictlampa ) . 

The  fifth  god  is  Xochipilli,  god  of 
flowers  {Xochitl — flower;  pilli — 
prince).  He  is  identifiable  by  his 
nose  plug  and  headdress.  Facing 
him  is  his  companion,  the  flower 
goddess,  Xochiquetzal  {Xochitl — 
flower;  quetzalli — feather).  To- 
gether they  rule  the  West,  XochitU- 
cacan — literally,  "where  the  flowers 
are. 

The  fourth  group  is  formed  by  a 

dancing  pair  and  represents  Ueue- 

{Concluded  on  page  506) 

"Alfonso  Caso,  The  Religion  of  the  Az~ 
tecs. 


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MOUNTAIN    STATES 
IMPLEMENT  CO. 


OGDEN,  UTAH 


Branches:  Utah 

Murray 

Ogden 

Logan 

Tremonton 


Branches:  Idaho 


Preston 

Blackfoot 

Shelley 

Idaho  Falls 


Rexburg 

Rupert 

Twin  Falls 

Buhl 


505 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,     AUGUST,    1940 


MEXICAN  AND  MAYAN  CODICES 


(Concluded  from  page  505) 

coyotl,  the  Old  Coyote  ( Ueue — old; 
coyotl — coyote),  ruler  of  the  South. 

Below,  seated  in  the  temples,  are 
four  gods.  From  left  to  right  they 
are:  Xochipilli,  the  flower  god, 
ruler  of  the  South;  Tlaltecuhtli 
{tlalli — earth;  tecuhtli — Lord)  the 
Earth  God  and  ruler  of  the  lower 
region.  Here  he  is  seen  as  an  ani- 
mal-headed form.  There  follows 
Xochipilli  as  Sun  God,  ruler  of  the 
upper  region;  and  finally,  the  Zapo- 
tecan  god  with  the  snake's  jaws, 
ruler  of  the  East. 

The  smaller  hieroglyphs  with  nu- 
merical coefficients  below  each 
series  of  gods  represent  the  Aztec 
day  signs. 

The  Borgian  Codex 

'"Phe  Borgian  Codex  contains  an 
example  of  the  religious  calendar 
known  as  the  Tonalamatl  ( tonalli — 
sun  or  day;  amatl — paper  or  book ) , 
book  of  days.  This  Tonalamatl 
consisting  of  260  days  was  used  by 
the  priests  to  prognosticate  the  future 
of  the  newborn  child  as  well  as  for 
setting  the  dates  of  the  religious 
feasts.  The  five  horizontal  rows  in 
the  center  give  the  days  of  the  Aztec 
calendar.  The  days  of  the  upper  row 
are:  flower,  rain,  flint,  earthquake, 
vulture,  and  eagle.  The  figures  at 
the  top  and  bottom  give  the  gods  or 
forces  which  rule  the  days  of  their 
corresponding  vertical  column.  Thus, 
the  days  of  the  sixth  column  from 
the   left  are  ruled   by  the   god   of 


flowers  and  by  "One  who  has  taken 
a  captive." 

The  Mendoza  Codex 

T^he  Mendoza  Codex  (so  named 
after  the  man  who  ordered  it 
painted )  is  especially  valuable  to  us 
because  it  was  made  after  the  con- 
quest by  native  Indians  who  were 
able  to  record  the  meaning  of  their 
paintings  in  the  newly  acquired 
Spanish  language.  In  a  qualified 
sense  it  served  as  a  sort  of  "Rosetta 
Stone"  for  the  early  students  of 
codices. 

In  this  codex  we  observe  three 
fundamentals  of  codex  interpreta- 
tion: First,  man  is  distinguished 
from  woman  by  his  posture  and  hair- 
dress.  The  woman  kneels  and  her 
hairdress  is  shaped  like  a  "Y."  The 
man  has  his  knees  pulled  up  under 
his  chin  and  his  hairdress  differs. 
Second,  the  question  -  mark  -  like 
hieroglyph  issuing  from  a  person's 
mouth  signifies  that  he  is  talking  or 
that  he  is  a  ruler  (he  who  has  the 
authority  to  speak).  Third,  foot- 
prints indicate  travel,  the  direction 
of  travel  being  indicated  by  the  di- 
rection of  the  footprints. 

The  story  recorded  on  the  illus- 
trated page  is :  A  mother  gives  birth 
to  a  child.  On  the  fourth  day  the 
nurse  takes  the  child  to  where  there 
is  a  tub  of  water  on  a  mat  of  reeds. 
After  she  washes  the  baby,  the  three 
boys,  who  are  eating  a  paste  made 
from  corn  and  beans,  pronounce 
aloud  the  name  of  the  child  in  ac- 
cord with  the  wishes  and  choice  of 


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the  nurse.  If  it  be  a  boy,  the  sword 
and  shield  (tokens  of  war  which  are 
shown  above  the  straw  mat )  are 
buried  where  he  is  most  likely  to 
meet  the  enemy.  If  it  be  a  girl,  a 
broom,  spindle,  and  mat  (as  shown 
below  the  straw  mat)  are  buried  in 
the  house  where  she  is  likely  to 
work.  Below  are  the  mother  and 
father  of  the  child.  If  the  child,  as 
shown  in  the  center,  is  a  boy  he  is 
presented  either  to  the  priest  or  war- 
rior, as  indicated  to  the  right,  with 
the  understanding  that  when  he  is  of 
age  he  will  join  that  order. 

The  Tlotzin  Map 

HPhe  Tlotzin  Map  is  an  historical 
and  genealogical  codex  which 
was  painted  before  the  conquest. 
It  should  be  observed,  however,  that 
the  notes  written  below  the  figures 
in  the  Aztec  language  were  added 
after  the  conquest  when  the  Indians 
were  able  to  record  their  language 
with  Spanish  letters.  The  codex 
records  the  wanderings  of  the  savage 
Chichimeca  tribes  in  the  region  north 
of  the  Valley  of  Mexico  just  prior 
to  their  arrival  in  the  valley.  Ar- 
riving at  the  shores  of  the  inland 
lakes  they  assimilated  much  of  the 
more  advanced  Toltec  culture  to  be- 
come what  was  later  known  as  the 
Aztec  nation.  Their  leader  was  the 
famous  captain,  Xolotl.  The  page 
shows  their  clothing,  arms,  manner 
of  sustenance,  as  well  as  the  fauna 
and  flora.  Notice  that  the  couple  in 
the  upper  left  hand  corner  lived  in  a 
bat  cave — T zinacanoztoc  (tzinacan 
— bat;  oztotl — cave.)  The  bat  can 
be  clearly  seen  forming  the  roof  of 
the  cave. 

The  hieroglyph  joined  to  the  nape 
of  the  neck  gives  the  name  of  the 
person.  One  need  only  pronounce 
the  Aztec  word  for  the  object  pic- 
tured to  give  the  name  of  the  indi- 
vidual. This  page  is  also  gene- 
alogical. By  comparison  with  other 
codices  covering  the  same  historical 
period  we  know  that  three  genera- 
tions are  here  represented. 

E  HAVE  viewed  a  cross  section 
of  the  codices  of  Central  Amer- 
The  Mayan  codices  are  only 
partially  interpreted;  the  uninterpret- 
ed Mexican  codices  are  more  numer- 
ous. Their  interpretation  alone  will 
not  suffice  to  solve  the  enigmas  of 
Central  America,  but,  working  hand 
in  hand  with  ethnology,  physical 
anthropology,  archeology,  and  lin- 
guistics the  interpreter  of  codices 
can  contribute  his  measure  to  a  more 
basic  knowledge  and  understanding 
of  Ancient  America. 


W 


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THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


{ Continued  from  page  463 ) 

Mary  Reynolds  looked  at  the  car 
full  of  clean  and  lovely  children 
about  her,  and  at  Henry's  brown 
profile  beside  her  and  put  a  hand 
to  her  throat. 


J.  his  clothes  business 
wasn't  going  to  be  easy,  Kathleen 
knew.  Mama  sewed  beautifully; 
she  was  fussy  about  raw  seams  and 
smooth  plackets.  But  everything 
she  made  turned  out  to  have  a  home- 
made look.  Kathleen  thought  she 
knew  what  was  the  matter.  Mama 
cut  everything  too  big.  Kathleen 
had  a  vision  of  herself,  smart  and 
chic,  in  clothes  that  were  tailored  to 
fit  perfectly.  She  wanted  to  be  a 
real  college  girl,  gay  and  laughing, 
and  having  dates.  There  wouldn't 
be  many  clothes — there  couldn't  be, 
for  she  was  buying  them  with  the 
money  she  had  managed  to  save 
from  odd  jobs  during  the  summer. 
It  was  enough  to  ask  Daddy  to  pay 
for  registration  and  books,  and 
room-rent.  She  would  batch  and 
take  vegetables  and  butter  and  fruit 
from  home.  But  a  girl  wants  clothes 
that  look  nice! 

Kathleen  had  figured  her  money 
carefully.  The  only  way  she  could 
get  good  material  in  her  dresses  was 
to  make  them.  And  oh,  she  did  so 
want  them  not  to  look  homemade! 

Mary  Reynolds  sent  Kathleen 
shopping  alone. 

"You've  planned  so  long,  you 
know  just  what  you  want,  anyway," 
she  said.  "I  have  other  things  to  do 
in  town."  Kathleen  consulted  her 
list  and  bought  basic  things  first. 
Aghast,  she  found  her  money  almost 
half  gone.  She  had  a  good  coat, 
though,  left  from  last  year.  Con- 
sulting the  pattern  counter  she  found 
a  jumper  skirt  pattern,  with  a  bolero 
jacket.  She  added  patterns  for  a 
trim,  tailored  dress,  and  a  more 
feminine  one  showing  lingerie  collar 
and  cuffs.  There  was  a  pattern  for  a 
sleek  evening  gown,  with  little  puf- 
fed sleeves  and  a  long,  slightly  flared 
skirt;  Kathleen  hesitated,  and  then 
brought  it,  too.  Then  she  carefully 
selected  the  material  for  her  clothes. 
She  left  the  store  with  her  arms  and 
her  heart  quite  full,  and  her  purse 
quite  empty. 

"There's  a  lump  in  my  left  breast," 
Mary  Reynolds  told  Dr.  Gann.  "It's 
been  there  about  three  months.  It's 
getting  bigger."  Her  steady  eyes 
defied  the  doctor  to  tell  her  anything 


TURNING  TIDE 

but  the  truth  about  her  condition. 

"Yes,"  said  Dr.  Gann.  "We'll 
see."  And  he  began  asking  her 
questions.  He  examined  her,  and 
then  had  his  assistant  take  an  X-ray. 

"I'll  know  for  sure  when  I  see  the 
X-ray,"  said  Dr.  Gann.  "But  I  am 
almost  certain  that  you  have  a  tumor. 
It  will  have  to  be  removed;  but  the 
operation  is  not  especially  serious." 

Mary  looked  at  him  searchingly. 
"It's  not  a  cancer?" 

"No,"  said  Dr.  Gann.  "I'm  al- 
most certain  of  that.  Of  course 
there's  always  a  chance  that  it  is. 
But  I  don't  think  so.  If  you  can 
come  in  tomorrow  after  I  have  seen 
the  X-ray  we  can  make  the  arrange- 
ments. It  should  be  taken  care  of 
right  away," 

"Yes,"  said  Mary.  "About  the 
money — " 

"The  hospital  should  be  paid  at 
once,  but  some  other  arrangements 
might  be  made.  Don't  worry  about 
my  bill." 

It  had  taken  two  hours  at 
the  doctor's  office.  When  Mary  re- 
turned to  the  car  Dean  was  fidgeting 
impatiently. 

"I  don't  like  to  be  a  kid-tender 
anyway!"  he  stated,  "First  Doris 
wanted  a  drink,  and  then  Rose  want- 
ed a  drink,  and  then  they  wanted 
candy,  and  then — Mama,  you're 
crying!" 

"No- — no,  I'm  not,"  Mary  laughed 
a  little  and  wiped  her  eyes,  and  put 
her  face  in  baby  Rose's  hair. 


Kathleen  came  up  in  a  rush  with 
her  packages.  And  then  Henry 
came,  his  face  white. 

"The  crickets!"  he  said.  "They've 
turned!  I  just  saw  Bill  Hall.  They're 
coming  straight  for  us!  I'm  going 
to  the  county  agent's  office  to  see  if 
I  can  get  some  of  that  bait  to 
spread."    He  left,  half  running. 

Mary  and  Kathleen  waited  in 
silence,  stunned.  Even  Dean  and 
Doris  ceased  their  chatter. 

Richard  returned  to  the  car,  and 
Mary  asked  gently,  "Did  you  get 
what  you  wanted,  son?" 

"No,"  said  Richard.  "I — I  went 
to  the  Scout  Commissioner's  office, 
but  it  was  locked;  there  was  a  note 
on  the  door.  It  didn't  matter  any- 
way, I  guess." 

"Richard,"  said  Kathleen,  "the 
crickets  have  turned.  They're  com- 
ing straight  for  our  place." 

"Oh,"  said  Richard,  and  then 
again,  "Oh!"  as  he  more  fully  un- 
derstood. No  college  for  Kathleen! 
No  crops!  No  garden  even!  Daddy 
had  bills  to  pay;  maybe  they'd  even 
have  to  move!  Maybe  they'd  have 
to  move  to  town  and  be  on  relief. 
No  more  fishing  in  the  reservoir,  or 
baking  spuds  in  the  ashes  of  a  camp- 
fire  in  the  canyon.  No  more  helping 
Daddy  in  the  fields,  or  trying  to  do 
the  cultivating  or  the  raking  just 
right,  so  Daddy  would  say — once  in 
a  while,  like  he  used  to  do — "That's 
fine!"  Home  was  suddenly  the 
dearest  place  on  earth  to  Richard. 
"Oh!"  he  said. 

{Continued  on  page  508) 


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507 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


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{Continued  from  page  507) 

Henry  ran  to  the  car  and  started 
it  quickly.  With  a  jerk  he  backed 
the  car  out  of  the  parking  place  and 
bolted  down  the  road  for  home. 

"County  agent  was  out  of  bait," 
Henry  told  his  family.  And  added, 
because  he  still  had  a  frantic  hope, 
"Only  a  miracle  can  save  us  now." 

In  spite  of  their  haste,  it 
was  almost  dark  before  the  Reynolds 
family  reached  home.  Henry  held 
the  accelerator  to  the  floorboard  and 
stared  grimly  at  the  road.  Wheels 
were  too  slow!  When  a  man's 
home  is  threatened,  he  wants  to  fly 
to  it,  to-  stand  on  his  land  and  battle 
for  it  with  all  the  strength  of  his 
hands  and  his  head.  Henry  had  a 
mad  plan;  it  might  work!  it  might 
not;  if  it  did  not,  at  least  he  would 
have  fought  and  lost  nobly. 

"We'll  haul  straw  and  brush," 
Henry  said  to  his  family,  like  a  gen- 
eral outlining  a  campaign.  "We'll 
pile  it  in  a  row  all  along  the  north 
fence.  If  fire  won't  turn  them, 
nothing  will." 

Home,  they  hurried  into  the  house 
and  changed  into  their  old  clothes; 
habit  is  strong;  best  clothes  are  not 
for  working,  and  the  Reynolds  had 
work  to<  do! 

"Keep  baby  Rose  in  the  house," 
Mary  Reynolds  told  Doris.  "That 
is  your  part."  Doris  nodded  gravely. 

Richard  ran  out  in  the  dusk  and 
caught  the  horses  before  the  others 
were  out  of  the  house.  Henry 
hitched  one  team  to  the  wagon  and 
the  other  team  to  the  manure-spread- 
er. They  drove  into<  the  stack-yard 
and  began  to  load  straw  frantically. 
It  was  last  year's  straw,  and  matted 
down,  hard  to  get.  Henry  and  Mary 
and  Kathleen  and  Richard  each  had 
a  fork,  but  little  Dean  carried  great 
armloads  as  fast  as  he  could  run. 

When  the  wagon  was  loaded 
Henry  sent  Mary  and  Kathleen  to 
unload  it. 

"It  won't  be  so  hard  to  throw  off," 
he  said.  "Pile  it  in  a  row  about 
four  feet  outside  of  the  fence.  About 
a  foot  deep.  If  we  have  time  we'll 
haul  more;  it  won't  last  long  when 
it's  lit." 

When  the  wagon  returned,  the 
spreader  was  loaded;  Henry  sent 
Richard  and  Dean  to  unload  it;  Hen- 
ry remained  at  the  stack  to  dig  the 
straw  loose  for  the  others  to  load. 
Sweat  blinded  him,  for  it  was  a 
sultry  night,  growing  darker  and 
darker.     Occasional  flashes  of  light- 


ning illuminated  the  stack-yard  and 
then  left  it  darker  than  ever.  Hour 
after  hour  they  worked;  hard,  heart- 
breaking work  it  was,  but  not  one  of 
the  family  complained.  Together 
they  tried  to  erect  a  barrier  to  save 
their  home — a  flimsy  barrier  indeed, 
a  tiny  line  of  straw,  scarcely  a  foot 
deep.  They  hauled  a  load  of  dry 
willows  that  had  been  cut  and  stack- 
ed in  the  spring,  but  they  reached 
only  a  few  rods  along  the  three- 
eighths  mile  front. 

"Let's  use  the  wood-pile,"  Richard 
said.  They  hauled  the  pile  of  split 
stove-lengths  of  aspen  wood — their 
fuel  supply — and  spread  it  along  the 
row  of  straw.  When  that  was  done 
Henry  looked  at  his  watch.  It  was 
three  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

"We'd  better  light  it;  at  the  rate 
those  crickets  travel  they'll  be  here 
pretty  quick,"  said  Henry.  He  sent 
Dean  to  the  house  for  a  carton  of 
matches  and  gave  each  of  his  family 
a  box. 

"We'll  spread  out  and  light  a  fire 
about  every  rod.  The  row  should 
all  be  burning  at  once  to  turn  them. 
You  start  from  here,  Mary;  it's 
closest  to  the  house;  Kathleen,  you 
go  down  to  the  pasture  gate;  Rich- 
ard to  the  ditch,  and  I'll  go  beyond 
that.  As  soon  as  I  light  a  fire  the 
rest  of  you  start,  and  get  them  lit 
as  quick  as  you  can.  Then — you 
just  as  well  go  to  the  house.  It 
might  work;  it  might  not.  We  can't 
do  any  more." 

Gallantly,  the  four  of  them  stum- 
bled once  more  out  into  the  dark- 
ness with  their  matches.  A  little 
breeze  sprang  up  out  of  the  sultriness 
of  the  night;  it  smelled  of  rain.  And 
scarcely  had  they  lighted  their  piti- 
fully small  fires  when  the  rain  began 
to  fall.  It  slithered  down  in  sheets; 
the  fires  sputtered  and  went  out. 

Mary  Reynolds  turned  and  walk- 
ed slowly  through  the  downpour  to 
the  house.  Her  shoulders  sagged; 
there  was  a  dull  ache  in  her  breast. 
She  couldn't  think;  her  mind  was 
numb.  She  could  only  hear.  And 
what  she  heard  was  Dr.  Gann,  say- 
ing, "Of  course,  there's  always  a 
chance  that  it  is." 

She  hesitated  in  the  shelter  of  the 
shed,  hating  to  go  in. 

"A  mother  needs  to  pray,"  she 
whispered  to  herself.  "A  mother 
needs  to  pray,  more  than  anyone  else 
in  the  world."  And  she  knelt  down 
in  the  shed  and  said,  "Dear  God,  let 
me  stay  and  help  my  dear  ones." 

"Well — I'll — be — gosh — darned!" 
Kathleen  said  aloud  when  the  rain 


508 


THE     IMPROVEMENT    ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


began  to  come.  She  tried  to 
laugh,  but  the  sound  wouldn't 
come.  When  the  fires  went  out,  she 
wanted  to  say,  "Exit  college!"  but 
that  wouldn't  come  either.  Tears 
came  instead,  floods  of  them.  Kath- 
leen huddled  close  to  a  great  rough 
post  and  sobbed. 

"Fool,  fool,  fool,"  she  thought  to 
herself.  "You  thought  you  could 
be  a  smarty  with  swell  clothes,  and 
a  college  education.  You  thought 
you  could  turn  into  a  school  teacher. 
Well,  you  can  take  your  home-made 
duds  and  go  find  yourself  a  dish- 
washer job  somewhere.  It's  your 
turn  to  help  a  little,  instead  of  hav- 
ing poor  old  Daddy  worry  his  head 
off  trying  to  please  you." 

Kathleen  sobbed  some  more,  and 
then  she  stopped.  She  took  a  deep 
breath  and  knelt  down  in  the  dark- 
ness beside  the  shaggy  post  and  said, 
"Father  in  heaven,  let  me  help 
Mama  and  Daddy!"  Then  she  lifted 
her  head  and  sloshed  across  the 
muddy  field  to  the  house. 


R, 


jchard  Reynolds  stood 
out  in  the  open  field  and  glared  at 
the  sky.  His  clothes  were  drenched; 
rain  spattered  on  his  bare  head,  mat- 
ting his  hair  in  a  clammy  cap,  and 
then  running  in  rivers  down  his  face. 
He  could  have  found  shelter  behind 
a  clump  of  willows  nearby,  but  he 
preferred  to  stand  there  in  the  rain 
defiantly,  hands  clenched  and  chin 
out.  When  the  rain  slackened  a 
little  he  walked  to  the  row  of  straw 
and  kicked  it,  but  it  was  wet  through. 
"Daddy's  not  licked!"  he  muttered 
to  the  lifting  darkness.  "I'll  help 
him!"  He  shut  his  eyes  and  said 
under  his  breath.  "Dear  God,  help- 
me-help-him.  Amen."  And  straight- 
ening his  thin  shoulders  he  strode 
off  down  the  field  to  find  his  daddy. 

/xt  the  far  end  of  his 
land,  Henry  Reynolds  sat  down  on 
a  lava  rock  in  the  streaming  rain 
and  watched  his  campaign  go  down 
to  defeat.  At  first  he  was  stunned. 
Then  the  old  baffled  expression  he 
had  worn  during  the  past  several 
years  returned  to  his  face.  He  was 
incompetent,  foredoomed  to  failure. 
He  thought  of  his  precious  family, 
and  their  night  of  heart-breaking 
work.  He  thought  of  his  own  toil — 
a  score  of  years  of  sweating  and 
planning  and  saving  and  contriving. 
He  had  worked  hard  and  faithfully. 
Was  it  too  much  to  ask  of  life — a 
home  and   a  decent   living  for  his 


TURNING  TIDE 

family — was  it  too  much  to  ask?  He 
hadn't  asked!  It  came  to  Henry 
Reynolds  in  a  flash  that  he  hadn't 
asked,  nor  given  thanks,  for  anything 
for  a  long  time.  He  had  gone  around 
in  a  stubborn,  self-sufficient  circle, 
asking  and  giving  nothing.  Because 
his  heart  was  so  full  of  things  he 
couldn't  say,  Henry  Reynolds 
bowed  his  head  humbly,  and  said 
only,  "Help  me." 

In  a  little  while  the  clouds  lifted 
in  the  east,  and  a  gray  haze  replaced 
the  murky  darkness. 

"Daddy!  Daddy!"  cried  Richard, 
running  to  him  through  the  dawn. 
"They've  turned!  They're  going 
west  again!  The  crickets  turned, 
like  they  did  before!" 

Henry  stared  unbelievingly  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  went  to  see  for 
himself.  There  went  the  crickets, 
scrambling,  gobbling,  tumbling  west 
again,  down  the  strip  of  government 
sagebrush.  They  were  only  a  few 
rods  from  the  boundary  fence  of  the 
Reynolds  farm,  but  one  day's  march 
would  carry  them  past  it. 

Richard  was  shivering  in  his  wet 
clothes.  "Gosh,  D-daddy,  that  was 
a  miracle,  wasn't  it?"  he  chattered. 
They  turned  homeward.  Richard's 
teeth  clicked  together.  Having 
nothing    else    to   put   around   him, 


Henry  put  his  arm,  and  though  it 
too  was  wet,  Richard  suddenly  felt 
warmer.  One  lone  prayer  had  done 
all  this,  he  thought.  One  lone 
prayer  by  one  lone  boy!  Lone — 
why,  he  would  be  a  Lone  Scout! 
Why  hadn't  he  thought  of  it  before! 
In  delight  he  ran  the  remaining  steps 
to  the  house. 

"Mama!"  he  cried.  "It's  all  right! 
The  crickets  are  going  west  again!" 

Mary  Reynolds  raised  her  eyes. 
In  them  were  the  strength  and  cour- 
age she  would  need  to  face  her  or- 
deal. God  was  good;  He  had  an- 
swered her  plea. 

Kathleen  took  a  deep  breath  and 
held  it  for  a  moment.  It  was  true! 
You  could  have  anything  you  want- 
ed, if  you  asked  for  it,  and  then 
worked  for  it  as  hard  as  you  knew 
how.  She  could  be  a  teacher,  of 
course  she  could!  And  she  could 
have  nice  dresses,  too!  She  would 
take  them  apart  and  sew  them  up 
again  a  hundred  times,  if  she  had  to, 
until  they  looked  exactly  right. 

Henry  Reynolds  stood  in  the 
doorway  and  looked  at  his  family. 
He  looked  tired,  and  older,  but  his 
voice  had  a  ring  that  had  long  been 
missing. 

"Let  us  give  thanks,"  he  said, 
"together!" 


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j    NAME    

I    ADDRESS    IE-840 


509 


THE     IMPROVEMENT     ERA,     AUGUST,     1940 


SOLUTION  OF  JULY  PUZZLE 


NO.Sfa 


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SCRIPTURAL  CROSSWORD  PUZZLF 

"  Wherefore  take  unto  you  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able 
to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and  having  done  all,  to  stand."— Eph.  6:13. 


ACROSS 


2  "that  ye  may  .  .  .  able  to  stand" 
4  "we  are  weak,  but  ye  are  .  .  ." 

10  Beginner 

13  "ye  are  of  more  .  .  .  than  many 
sparrows" 

15  Wandering 

16  Jacob  married   two   of  his  daugh- 

ters 

17  "your  Master  also  is  .  .  .  heaven" 

18  "Put     on  .  .  .  whole    armour     of 

_  God" 

20  "doing  service,  as  to  the  .   .   ." 

21  "stand  upon  mount  ...  to  curse" 
23  Central  American  rubber  tree 

25  A  star;  bide  (anag.) 

27  Small  armadillo 

28  "and  blossom  as  the  .  .  ." 

29  "Let  .  .  .  man    deceive   you    with 

vain  words" 

30  ".  .  .  take  the  helmet  of  salvation" 

31  ".  .  .  singleness  of  your  heart" 

32  "taking  .  .  .  shield  of  faith" 

34  "Woe  to  them  that  are  at  ...  in 
Zion" 


37  Printer's  measure 

40  Northwestern  state 

41  "Will  a  man  .  .   .  God?  " 

43  "For  which  I  ...  an  ambassador' 

45  "But    unto    every    one    of  ...  is 

given  grace" 

46  Shout  of  triumph 

47  "given   unto   me   by   the   effectual 

working  of  his  .  .  ." 

48  "against  the  wiles  ...  the  devil" 
50  Priest  in  "Last  Days  of  Pompeii"; 

sea  crab  (anag.) 
52  Noise  in  sleep 

54  Masculine   name;    22   down   trans- 

posed 

55  28  across- may  grow  on  this   (two 

words) 

57  "strengthened  with  might  by  .  .  . 

Spirit  in  the  inner  man" 

58  "power,  and  .  .  .  ,  and  dominion" 

Our  Text  from  Ephesians  is  2,  4,  17, 
18,  20,  30,  31,  32,  47,  48,  57,  and 
58  combined 


DOWN 


1  "if  a  man  ...  it  lawfully" 

2  "Then  Paul  and  .  .  .  waxed  bold" 

3  Epoch 

4  Asherite  spy  Num.  13:  13 

5  Transpose 

6  Shaped  like  an  egg 

7  Wealthy  man 

8  Glitter 

9  "For  .  .  .  wrestle  not  against  flesh 

and  blood" 

11  "pertaineth  to  another  .  .  ." 

12  Explosive 

14  Female  water  spirit 

19  "My  God"  Mark  15:  34 

21  This  Epistle  contains  this  Text 

22  Alley 

24  Domestic  slave 

26  ".  ,  .  the  same  things  unto  them" 


be  bond  or  free' 


33  "whether  , 

35  Worship 

36  "give  seed  to  the  ...  ,  and  bread 

to  the  eater" 
Mother 
"let    each  .  .  .  other    better    than 

themselves" 
Fabulous  bird 
"and  I  will  sweep  it  with  the  .  .  . 

of  destruction" 
"Observe  the  ...  of  Abib" 
47  Hawaiian  precipice 
49  "raise  .  .  .  against  thee"  (sing  > 

51  Exclamation  of  contempt 

52  Callosity  (Dial.  Eng.) 

53  Note 

56  Another  note 


38 
39 

41 
42 

44 


510 


THE    IMPROVEMENT    ERA,    AUGUST,     1940 


EVIDENCES  AND  RECONCILIATIONS 


(Concluded  from  page  481 ) 

Therefore,  the  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion concerning  the  Sunday  use  of 
motion  pictures  becomes  another 
question:  Does  the  picture  to  be 
seen  on  Sunday  create  within  the  ob- 
server the  spirit  of  worship?  Does 
it  conform  to  the  spirit  of  the  Sab- 
bath? 

Certainly  it  may  be  said  without 
hesitation  that  a  picture  based  upon 
the  triangle  of  two  men  in  love  with 
the  same  married  woman  or  two 
women  in  love  with  the  same  mar- 
ried man  does  not  inspire  the  proper 


v«e  itr<;  made  with  •  ■ ' 

•Male  appetites  relish  that  flavor 
lift  Three  Diamonds  Crabmeat 
gives  to  your  Autumn  warm- 
weather  meals.  There's  a  tang  of 
the  deep-sea  in  these  tender  juicy 
leg  segments  that  makes  prepared 
dishes,  cocktails  and  salads  more 
zestful,  more  satisfying.  Plan  a 
he-man  dish  for  your  family 
tonight — with  THREE  DIA- 
MONDS  CRABMEAT. 

Insist   on   this   label  at 
your  grocers'  today  .  .  . 


THREE  DIAMONDS 

BRAND   FANCY 

CRABMEAT 


Sabbath  feeling.  Neither  can  a  pic- 
ture be  said  to  carry  the  Sunday 
spirit  which  revels  in  divorces,  mur- 
ders, and  other  criminal  acts,  wild 
adventures,  or  the  stories  of  people 
of  uncertain  moral  lives.  When  all 
these  situations  are  cancelled  out, 
very  few  pictures  remain  to  be  con- 
sidered for  Sabbath  use. 

Motion  pictures  complying  with 
Sunday  requirements,  should  they 
be  found,  might  possibly  be  used  as 
supplements  to  normal  Sunday  ac- 
tivities. Nevertheless,  it  is  to  be  said 
that  all  worship  is  marked  by  per- 
sonal address  and  reception.  It  is 
the  speaking  out  of  a  human  heart 
to  another  human  heart,  that  most 
stirs  the  spiritual  nature  of  man,  and 
gives  the  edifying  feeling  which  is 
the  mark  of  light  and  truth,  the  spirit 
of  God.  No  picture,  however  good, 
can  take  the  place  of  the  living  man, 
however  humble,  who  bears  his  testi- 
mony of  the  truth. 

The  question  at  the  head  of  this 
writing  should  more  properly  be :  Are 
motion  pictures  available  which 
comply  with  the  divine  message  con- 
cerning the  Sabbath  day?  This 
question  is  readily  answered :  There 
are  very  few  such  pictures,  and  they 
are  seldom  available  on  the  Sabbath 
day. 


♦  » 


PIONEERS 

By  Elizabeth  A.  Cook 

A  ll  hail  to  those  intrepid  pioneers 
**  Who  braved  the  perils  of  an  untried 

land, 
Behind   them  leaving   all   their  doubts   and 
fears, 
By  faith  in  God  upheld — a  noble  band. 

They    clambered    over    mountains,    forded 
streams, 
They  fought  wild  beasts  and  hostile  tribes 
of  men; 
They  cleared  the  wilderness  but  kept  their 
dreams 
Of  brighter,  better  days  to  come  again. 

They  planted  on  a  sure  foundation  stone 
Free    speech    with    liberty    by    law    re- 
strained, 
And  equal  opportunities  were  shown 
To  all  by  whom  those  laws  should   be 
maintained. 

Brave  pioneers!     We  honor  them  today 
And  strive  to  follow  where  they  led  the  way! 


IN  LOS  ANGELES 


rafiCTM^n 


5th  at  Spring 
i  .'■'.        Tariff  Tram  $2.50 

^*ti^       A  Tub  and  Showe'r.in  Every  Room 


Recognized  Utah  Headquarters  in 
Los  Angeles 

CLAYTON    V.    SMITH,    Managing  Director 
Formerly  oi  Salt  Lake  City 


Latter-day  Saints  who  go  to  see 
motion  pictures  on  the  Sabbath  es- 
tablish a  dangerous  habit,  for  they 
pit  man-made  temptation  against  the 
Lord's  command.  Besides,  all  who 
fail  to  observe  the  Sabbath  as  direct- 
ed by  the  Lord  miss  a  real  and  in- 
creasing joy  which  can  be  won  in 
no  other  way,  and  which  is  a  power- 
ful help  in  winning  true  success  in 
life.  Moreover,  we  are  always 
stronger  and  happier  when  we  con- 
form to  God's  law'. 

As  movies  are  presented  today,  we 
should  not  go  to  see  them  on  Sunday. 
And,  in  Latter-day  Saint  commun- 
ities, to  offer  motion  pictures  on 
Sunday,  especially  at  the  time  of 
Sunday  meetings,  is  an  injury  to 
youth  and  an  offense  against  the 
people. — /.  A.  W. 


.  .  .NO  SUGAR 
ADDED 


DELICIOUS  Church's 
Grape  Juice  is  made  from 
luscious,  vine-ripened 
Concord  grapes. May  be 
diluted  to  taste.  Try  ill 


GHURCHS 

GRAPE  JUICE 

ENROLL     NOW 

(Commence  Later  ii  Desired) 

$25.  Discount  on  a  Complete 

COURSE   IN   BEAUTY    CULTURE 
A  State  Accredited  School 

Ogden  School  of  Beauty  Culture 


Over  Egyptian  Theatre 

Name      

Address  City 


OGDEN,    UTAH 


..State 


511 


^xmamWm^ 


LET'S  SAY  IT  CORRECTLY 


"C  migrant  and  immigrant  are  frequently  confused  by  the 
•*— '  unthinking.  Emigrant  means  one  who  leaves  one  country 
for  another.  An  immigrant  is  one  who  comes  into  a  country; 
for  instance,  "The  emigrants  from  England  became  immigrants 
in  Canada." 

Dear  Brethren: 

Please  find  enclosed  orders  for  one  hundred  sixty-two  Eras, 
*-  which  makes  a  total  of  one  hundred  sixty-five  Eras  for  the 
South  Gate  Ward.  We  have  130  families  in  our  ward  and 
I  am  proud  of  that  record. 

I  am  happy  my  ward  enjoys  a  spiritual  feast,  by  having  their 
souls  enriched  monthly  by  that  great  magazine. 

I  am  sure  the  cause  of  spiritual  laziness,  carelessness,  and 
delinquency  in  Church  activity  is  due  to  the  improper  diet  of 
spiritual  foods.  We  fail  to  catch  the  vision  of  eternal  life,  and 
our  minds  are  centered  on  temporal  things  and  monetary  pleas- 
ures, and  our  hearts  are  satisfied  with  the  kind  of  reading  which 
gives  us  excitement  and  thrills.  We  forget  that  we  are  part- 
ners with  God,  that  we  hold  His  Priesthood  and  Power,  and  that 
we  should  feast  upon  His  teachings  and  find  the  Joy  of  Living. 

By  reading  The  Improvement  Era  it  gives  us  a  well  bal- 
anced spiritual  meal  that  will  give  us  spiritual  strength  to 
withstand  the  fatigue  and  the  hardships  of  life,  and  the  tempta- 
tions of  the  adversary. 

Praying  that  more  homes  will  fill  up  on  that  Spiritual  fuel 
that  is  contained  in  that  great  magazine,  The  Improvement  Era, 
I  remain  your  operator  in  the  great  Service  Station  of  Life. 

(Signed)  Bishop  Ivan  Magnusson. 


-^- 


MOUNT  OGDEN  STAKE  CLAIMS  WOODS  FAMILY 

TLTerbert  W.  Woods,  who,  with  his  family,  was  selected  as  a 
*■  ■*■  model  family  from  Utah  to  go  to  the  World's  Fair,  (see 
Era,  July,  1940,  p.  415)  is  not  a  member  of  the  Church  in  the 
Ogden  Stake.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Mount  Ogden  Ward  of 
Mount  Ogden  Stake,  and  is  second  counselor  to  President 
Ralph  T.  Mitchell  of  the  High  Priest  Quorum  of  the  Mount 
Ogden  Stake. 

I  am  giving  you  this  information  because  some  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Mount  Ogden  Stake  feel  that  the  Ogden  Stake  gets 
ample  credit  for  magnificent  achievements  without  getting  credit 
for  something  to  which  it  is  not  justly  entitled. 
Very  truly  yours, 

W.  H.  Reeder,  Jr., 

President,  Mount  Ogden  Stake. 

To  the  Editors  of  the  Era: 

T  WOULD  like  to  express  my  thanks  to  The  Improvement  Era 
*  for  the  wonderful  information  I  have  received  since  I  have 
been  on  my  mission,  only  five  months  now.    We  receive  four 
each  month  here  in  Porto  Alegre  and  every  one  is  read  from 
cover  to  cover.     I  find  very  fine  material  for  some  of  the  many 
talks  we  have  to  give  on  Church  principles.    The  mission  here 
is  growing  very  rapidly,  and  much  credit  is  due  to  the  fine 
books  we  have  in  our  Church.    So  may  The  Improvement  Era 
always  find  its  way  down  here  in  Brazil. 
A  Mormon  Missionary, 
Keith  S.  Jones, 
Porto  Alegre,  Brazil,  Caixa-Postal  526. 

<a> 


Gentlemen: 

Here's  a  little  item  that  was  of  interest  to  us;  perhaps  it  will  be 
to  you  also. 

Recently  a  little  group  of  missionaries  were  on  their  way  from 
Washington,  D.  C,  to  Fredericksburg,  Virginia.  The  topic 
of  conversation  turned  to  the  martyrdom  of  the  Prophet  Joseph 
and  it  was  brought  out  that  it  was  thought  by  the  mobbers  that 
if  Joseph  and  his  brother  Hyrum  as  well  as  John  Taylor  and 
Willard  Richards  who  were  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  were 
killed  the  Church  would  crumble  and  disappear. 

One  of  the  party,  Valean  Taylor  Bell,  was  asked  if  she  were 
related  to  John  Taylor.     She  replied  that  he  was  her  grand- 


father. Brother  William  Richards  was  questioned  and  he 
replied  that  Willard  Richards  was  his  great-grandfather^. 
Finally  Don  Corbett  brought  out  the  fact  that  Hyrum  Smith 
was  his  great-grandfather. 

Here  three  descendants  of  the  four  who  were  to  be  martyred 
to  destroy  the  Church  were  brought  together  to  preach  the 
same  Gospel. 

The  work  of  the  Lord  will  go  on  and  the  fine  spirit  of  our 
early  leaders  is  carried  forward  in  their  descendants. 
Sincerely, 

Frank  R.  Miller, 

1762  N.  Rhodes,  Arlington,  Va. 


-&• 


GETTING  THE  JUMP  ON  HIM 

An  optician  was  teaching  business  technique  to  his  son. 

"Son,"  he  said,  "after  you  have  fitted  glasses  to  a  customer, 
and  he  asks  what  the  charge  is,  you  say: 

'  'The  charge  is  $10.' 

"Then  you  watch  closely  to  see  if  he  jumps  a  little.  If  he 
doesn't  jump,  you  say: 

'That's  for  the  frames;  the  lenses  will  cost  another  $10.' 

"Then  you  stop  again,  for  just  a  second,  to  see  if  he  jumps. 
If  he  doesn't  jump  that  time,  you  say — real  quick: 

"  'Each.'  " 

STANDING  ROOM  ONLY 

"I  guess  you  wonder  why  I  never  go  to  church,"  said  a  local 
Smart  Aleck,  "and  I'll  tell  you  why — there  are  always  so  many 
hypocrites  there." 

"Oh,  don't  let  that  keep  you  away,"  said  the  bishop  smiling; 
"there's  always  room  for  one  more." 

UNMISTAKABLE  EVIDENCE 

Teacher:      "Now,  Tommy,   if  you  have   ten  cents   in  one 
pocket,  and  twelve  cents  in  the  other,  what  have  you?" 
Tommy:     "The  wrong  trousers." 

THE  GREATEST  MAN 

Bagsby:  "Who  do  you  consider  the  greatest  man  this  coun- 
try has  produced?" 

Crabshaw:  "I  used  to  think  it  was  either  Jefferson  or  Lincoln. 
But  now  I  am  convinced  it  was  my  wife's  first  husband." 

NEW,  BUT  SO   OLD 

Doctor:  "The  best  thing  you  can  do  for  your  baby  is  to 
give  him  a  good  dose  of  castor  oil." 

Modern  Mother:  "But,  Doctor,  castor  oil  is  so  old  fash- 
ioned." 

Doctor:     "So  are    babies,  madam." 

CHERISHED  AFFLICTION 

My  little  girl  was  sick  in  bed  with  measles  and  we  gave  her 
so  much  attention  and  so  many  new  things  to  play  with  that 
her  little  brother  said  to  me,  "Mother,  after  Kathy  is  through 
with  the  measles,  can  I  have  them,  too?" 

SYMPATHETIC,  THOUGH 

Margaret,  aged  five,  had  been  very  rude  to  a  little  guest,  and 
after  the  child  had  gone  home,  Margaret's  mother  told  her  very 
feelingly  how  grieved  she  was  at  her  rudeness. 

"I've  tried  so  hard  to  make  you  a  good  child,  Margaret, 
to  teach  you  to  be  polite  and  kind  to  others;  and  yet  in  spite  of 
all  my  efforts,  you  are  so  rude  and  so  naughty." 

Margaret,  deeply  moved,  looked  sadly  at  her  mother  and  said, 
"What  a  failure  you  are,  Mother!" 

SIZING  UP  THE  MULE 

"The  mule,"  wrote  a  schoolboy,  "is  a  hardier  bird  than  the 
guse  or  turkey  and  diffrunt.  He  wears  his  wings  on  the  side 
of  his  head.  He  has  two  legs  to  walk  with,  two  more  to  kick 
with,  and  is  awful  backward  about  going  forward." 


512 


SUNDAY 


^L 


10  P.  M.T0  MIDNIGHT 


There's  beauty  in  the  final  hours  of  every  Sunday  -  beauty  in  the  moments  when  the  Sabbath  is 
ended.  In  these  hours  from  Ten  to  Midnight,  KSL  presents  four  complete  half  hour  programs 
of  unusual  charm  -  programs  that,  from  the  four  points  of  the  compass,  draw  ideas  in  music  and 
in  words  for  your  late  evening  pleasure. 

\      Utah  is  famed  throughout  the  nation  for  the  excellence  of  its  Choral  groups. 
^,%    High  school  and  college,  church  and  private  organization  develop  singing 
units  of  rare  ability  and  finesse.     In  constant   rotation,   KSL   brings   the 
finest  of  these  choruses  to  your  home  as  the  first  unit  of  its  Sunday  eve- 
ning programs  of  words  and  music. 

KSL— 10  to  10:30  p.  m. 

Some  of  the  most  enduring  of  all  music  has  been  written  lor  string  orches- 
tras. This  is  the  basis  upon  which  the  program  presenting  the  KSL  Strings 
is  developed.  Directed  by  Albert  Shephard  and  sponsored  by  ZCMI,  here 
is  a  program  ol  thrilling  importance  both  to  musicians  and  to  all  who 
enjoy  the  lasting  beauty  of  music  for  strings. 

KSL— 10:30  to  11  p.m. 

...    * 

Rich  in  the  tradition  of  radio's  programs  of  true  worth  is  "Sunday  Evening 
on  Temple  Square."  First  offered  more  than  ten  years  ago,  this  thirty  min- 
utes is  today  more  widely  heard  than  ever  before  -  a  program  which 
brings  the  majesty  of  the  Mormon  Tabernacle  organ  and  guest  soloists  to 
the  late  Sunday  hours. 

KSL— 11  to  11:30  p.  m. 

"Sabbath  Reveries"  brings  each  Sunday  to  a  close  on  KSL.     Here  a  final 

mood  lor  the  day  is  interpreted  both  in  words  and  in  music.    All  themes   fcN^S' 

arc  within  the  appreciation  of  those  who  listen      In  smooth  measures,  the   \^i'A^\1lf^ CP^miffW^^  )\ 

closing  moments  of  the  day  pass  on  the  flowing  pattern  of  a  day  well  filled, 

well  lived. 


KSL— 11:30  to  12  Midnight 


SUPREME    IN   THE  WEST 


J 


1 1 30  KILOCYCLES 


50,000  WATTS 


MggaillBBJBMBMKiSal 


tztefstcte  &5 


Youth  on  a  vacation  knows  no  cares.  In 
the  mountains,  along  highways,  or  on  the 
beach,  each  hour,  each  moment  presents 
a  panorama  of  pleasant  experiences. 

ment  if  we  build  a  life  insurance  estate 
fortable  life  as  you  grow  older? 


"  ■..■■  ■■ 


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Bkl 


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frm 


Vts. 


k>  HI  iWbbl><Ms  -M^  Hp^ 


I.  Grant.  Pres.  ~^V£ 


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B  iilillf 


Salt  Lake  City.